Syrian government forces intensified efforts Thursday to seize control of parts of the capital and its surrounding areas from rebel fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the military bombed Daraya, on the edge of Damascus, and nearby Moadamiyeh. The London-based group also reported house-to-house raids in Daraya and fierce clashes in the Hajar […]
Syrian Forces Carry Out Assault on Damascus
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 2:25 pm (UTC-5)
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Heavy Fighting in Syrian Capital
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 1:05 pm (UTC-5)
Parts of Syria’s capital were under siege Thursday, with pitched fighting reported between Syrian government forces and rebels. Activists reported shelling and house-to-house raids in Daraya, on the edge of Damascus, as well as clashes in the city’s Hajar al-Aswad district. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebel fighters killed or wounded 10 […]
Mali’s Ansar Dine Defends Punishments, Strict Sharia
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 12:30 pm (UTC-5)
A spokesman for an al-Qaida-linked militant group in northern Mali says its members are “ready to die” in order to enforce what the group considers Islamic law. In an interview with VOA , the spokesman for extremist group Ansar Dine defended actions such as amputating the hands of thieves, destroying historic sites and silencing all […]
Pakistan Summons US Diplomat on Drone Strikes
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
Pakistan has summoned a senior U.S. diplomat to protest against drone strikes on Pakistani soil. Three separate attacks in the last week have killed at least 16 suspected militants in the North Waziristan tribal agency, a known hub for al-Qaida and Taliban-linked militants. Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Thursday the American diplomat was informed that the […]
Heavy Rain, Floods Kill 26 in Pakistan
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 10:30 am (UTC-5)
Authorities in northern Pakistan say heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 26 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. In Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, disaster management official Raja Sajjad Khan told VOA 1,000 families have been affected by the flooding and moved to higher ground. He says 750 homes have been damaged. At least nine of […]
Heavy Fighting in Syrian Capital
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 10:00 am (UTC-5)
Parts of Syria’s capital were under siege Thursday, with pitched fighting reported between Syrian government forces and rebels. Activists report shelling and house-to-house raids in Daraya, on the edge of Damascus, as well as clashes in the city’s Hajar al-Aswad district. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebel fighters killed or wounded 10 […]
Heavy Rain, Floods Kill 24 in Pakistan
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 8:35 am (UTC-5)
Authorities in northern Pakistan say heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 24 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. In Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, disaster management official Raja Sajjad Khan told VOA on Thursday that 1,000 families have been affected by the flooding and moved to higher ground. He says 750 homes have been damaged. At […]
Turkish Soldiers Kill 16 Rebels After Deadly Attack
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 5:35 am (UTC-5)
Turkish troops have killed 16 Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey in clashes that followed an attack on a military convoy. Turkish officials said rebels from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) detonated roadside bombs Wednesday in Hakkari, near the border with Iraq and Iran, killing five soldiers and wounding seven others. The army responded with […]
Heavy Fighting in Damascus, as UN Warns of Humanitarian Crisis
Posted August 23rd, 2012 at 5:30 am (UTC-5)
Syrian government forces battled rebels in Damascus Thursday, as the government of President Bashar al-Assad fights to drive out opposition forces from the capital city. Activists reported fighting in several neighborhoods, including a campaign of shelling and house-to-house raids in Daraya, on the southwest edge of the city. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights […]
