War

A Syrian opposition group have called for Israeli intervention in Syria to help overthrow President Bashar al-Assad The group comprised of certain foreign-based oppositionists have openly pleaded with Israel to directly confront Assad Press TV reports: The so-called National Salvation Front in Syria, which represents certain members of the anti-Damascus  opposition in diaspora, including some who are based in France and Belgium, also proposed a “roadmap” for closer relations with Tel Aviv, the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Monday.

Taiwan today sent the clearest message to China that it is taking deteriorating diplomatic relations with its estranged mainland cousin seriously, when the island nation began two days of military drills simulating an attack by China, in the wake of Beijing's sailing of an aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait, as the government sought to reassure the public.

Three hundred U.S. Marines arrived in Norway on Monday for a six-month deployment angering their Arctic neighbour Russia. This is the first time since World War Two that foreign troops have been allowed to be stationed there. Before Norway joined NATO in 1949, it allayed Russian fears by pledging not to open its territory to foreign combat troops “as long as it is not under attack or threat of attack.” The deployment comes just one week after thousands of US troops arrived in Poland to “support NATO’s Anti-Russian buildup” across Eastern Europe.

The man suspected of carrying out the New Year’s Eve terrorist attack at Istanbul’s Reina nightclub has been arrested at his home in the Turkish capital. The attack killed 39 people and wounded 69 others, for which ISIS claimed responsibility. Abdulkadir Masharipov was arrested at his home following a special operation in Esenyurt. RT.com reports: The Uzbek attacker, Abdulgadir Masharipov, was captured by Turkish security forces late Monday at his friend’s house in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul, Daily Sabah reports.

Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus has described the mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub as a false flag event carried about by members of an intelligence organization.  “It appears the Reina attack is not just a terrorist organisation’s act, but there was also an intelligence organisation involved. It was an extremely planned and organised act,” Kurtulmus said during an interview with A Haber. Middleeasteye.net reports: Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in which 39 people were killed, saying it was revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria.