Al Qaeda offshoot withdraws from rebel-held Syrian town near TurkeyFebruary 28, 2014 - 14:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Fighters from an al Qaeda splinter group, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), withdrew from a rebel-held Syrian town near the border with Turkey on Friday, Feb 28, a monitoring group said, according to Reuters. Months of rebel infighting in and around Azaz, 5 km (3 miles) from the Turkish border, has hampered efforts to get humanitarian aid into Syria and help tens of thousands of refugees who fled there to escape bombardment by government forces in Aleppo province. ISIL, which took Azaz five months ago from rival opposition fighters, has fought other rebels who control the border post with Turkey. A car bomb last week at a makeshift camp on the Syrian side of the border killed five refugees. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reported the withdrawal, says 3,300 people have been killed since the start of the year in fighting between rebel factions trying to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Rami Abdulrahman, head of the anti-Assad Observatory, said ISIL withdrew at dawn to strongholds east of Aleppo city. He said the group was suffering heavy losses in Azaz. The infighting started last year over power struggles and territorial disputes and has since spread throughout rebel-held territory in Syria. A peaceful protest movement against four decades of Assad family rule in 2011 turned into civil war after a government crackdown. More than 140,000 people have been killed, according to the Observatory. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |