Day: 22 July 2023

The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the death of a Turkish soldier, with the rank of sergeant, as a result of wounds he sustained during his participation in military action in the “Claw Lock” operations area, northern Iraq.

The Turkish Defense Ministry stated in a statement today that the soldier was seriously injured during his landing from the helicopter that was carrying him and a number of Turkish soldiers in military operations in the area of Operation Claw Lock, and he died after being transferred to a field hospital.

Earlier in the day, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced the killing of five Kurdish militants in mutual attacks in the Matina region, northern Iraq.

In a statement, the Turkish Defense Ministry indicated that fighter jets and helicopters of the Turkish army launched attacks on positions of the PKK militants within the Operations of the Claw Lock sector in northern Iraq.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

The United Nations World Food Programme is “deeply saddened” to confirm that a staff member was shot and killed by unknown gunmen on Friday afternoon in Turbah, Taiz in south west Yemen.

“Moayad Hameidi, a Jordanian national, died shortly after being transferred to hospital,” a WFP statement reads.

Hameidi had recently arrived in Yemen to assume his new role as the head of WFP’s office in Taiz. A dedicated humanitarian, Hameidi, had worked for WFP for 18 years, including a previous stint in Yemen as well as time in Sudan, Syria, and Iraq, according to the statement.

“The loss of our colleague is a profound tragedy for our organization and the humanitarian community,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Representative and Country Director in Yemen.

“Any loss of life in humanitarian service is an unacceptable tragedy,” he added.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

The European Union (EU) is allocating EUR 1 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to better protect Palestinian refugees who are threatened by forced displacement in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the UNRWA said in a press release. The Director of UNRWA Affairs in the West Bank, Adam Bouloukos, expressed his deep appreciation to the EU for their continued support: “We are grateful for this contribution which reaffirms the commitment of the EU to UNRWA and Palestine Refugees, particularly at a time when the protection environment continues to deteriorate. “These funds come at a critical time in view of the dire financial situation of the Agency and the unparalleled needs observed in Jenin.” Since the beginning of the year, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, there has been an escalation of Israeli violence impacting Palestinian civilians, with the Israeli raid in Jenin on July 3-4 being one of the recent examples. European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, said: “The EU’s partnership with UNRWA seeks to better protect civilians, particularly children in refugee camps. They are the ones feeling the full brunt of the escalation. We are committed to continue our unwavering support to the most vulnerable Palestinian refugees.”

Source: En – Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Charge D’Affaires of the Swedish Embassy on Friday to hand her a protest note over the repeated desecration of the Holy Quran in Stockholm.

The UAE strongly condemned the decision of the Swedish government to continue to allow such acts to occur, according to a statement from the ministry carried by the UAE news agency (WAM). The UAE stressed that Sweden has disregarded its international responsibilities and demonstrated a lack of respect for social values in this regard.

The Ministry emphasised the importance of monitoring hate speech and expressions of racism that negatively impact peace and security. It expressed its rejection of the use of freedom of expression as justification for such heinous acts, according to the statement.

The Ministry underscored the UAE’s rejection of all practices aimed at undermining security and stability in contravention of human values and principles. It reaffirmed that hate speech and extremism contradict international efforts to spread the values of tolerance, coexistence and peace between peoples.

The Ministry underscored that the allowance of such heinous acts contradicts international norms and laws that prevent attacks on religions and religious symbols, and that hate speech and extremism contribute to the outbreak, escalation and recurrence of conflict worldwide.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Extremist Israeli settlers cut down today nearly 150 olive saplings planted in Palestinian-owned lands in the town of Ad-Dhahiriya, to the southwest of Hebron, according to local sources. Scores of Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement of Tene broke into Palestinian-owned lands on the outskirts of the town and embarked on cutting down and vandalizing 150 olive saplings, owned by a local Palestinian resident, said the sources. Israeli settler violence against Palestinians and their public and private properties is commonplace across the occupied West Bank, with backing and protection from the far-right Israeli government. There are over 700,000 Israeli settlers living in colonial settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.

Source: En – Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA

The Ministry of Human Rights condemned on Saturday the assassination of the Director of the Office of the World Food Program Moayad Hamidi by gunmen in Turbah city of Taiz province held under the control of the aggression forces.

In a statement, the Ministry of Human Rights expressed its condemnation of the continued targeting of humanitarian workers and their escorts in the occupied areas, including Taiz province, which is witnessing security chaos and almost daily assassinations as a result of the fighting between the UAE and Saudi-funded factions.

The statement stressed that the deterioration in the human rights situation in the occupied provinces is a matter of concern for the lives and conditions of civilians, especially with the escalation of violence, riots, and continuous and escalating lawlessness for more than eight years.

It held the aggression coalition and its tools criminal, legal and moral responsibility for this crime and all the successive killings and violations in the areas under the control of the aggression coalition loyalists.

The Ministry’s statement called on all international and local organizations concerned with human rights to assume their humanitarian responsibility, monitor, document and condemn these crimes, and prosecute the perpetrators until the hands of justice reach them.

Source: Yemen News Agency

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned Saturday the Israeli army’s “heinous crimes” against Palestinians, the latest of which was the “execution” of two minors in Nablus and Ramallah. The OIC General Secretariat considered that “this is an extension of the series of Israeli crimes and violations that require investigation and accountability,” according to a statement. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the OIC urged the international community to “assume its responsibilities and put an end to the daily crimes and organised state terrorism committed by Israel, the occupying power, against the Palestinian people.”

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Ministry of Guidance and Hajj and Umrah Affairs on Saturday condemned the repeated abuses of burning copies of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark.

In a statement, the ministry confirmed that these repeated crimes reflect the extent of hatred, barbarism, underestimation and provocation of the feelings of Muslims and targeting their greatest sanctities.

It pointed out that these hateful steps and collusion with them are considered an explicit war against Islam and Muslims, and necessitate a global and major Islamic movement to discipline anyone who persists and begged himself to violate Islamic sanctities.

The Ministry of Guidance called on Islamic countries and relevant associations and institutions to criminalize this serious incident, and to boycott these countries that violated international laws that criminalize infringement of the sanctities of religions.

Source: Yemen News Agency

Ukrainian forces announced Saturday that they destroyed an oil depot and an ammunition storage site in the Oktyabrsky district of Crimea. According to the Ukrainian News Agency, an evacuation order was issued in a 5-kilometre zone around the area where a Ukrainian drone destroyed two oil and ammunition depots.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the capital Sana’a condemned the assassination of the director of the World Food Program’s office in Taiz Moayed Hamidi.

In a statement, a copy of which was received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the Chamber considered the assassination a flagrant violation of Yemeni law and of Yemen’s culture, customs and traditions.

The statement indicated that these criminal acts aim to obstruct the efforts and activities of humanitarian relief workers for the benefit of the Yemeni people.

Source: Yemen News Agency

A large fire broke out in one of the orchards in Al-Qadisiyah area, within the approaches to Al-Jadriya Bridge, in the center of the capital, Baghdad.

Columns of smoke were seen rising densely, without specifying the size of the losses.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

A force from the Intelligence Service in Basra arrested a network that trades in human organs and sells them in the Kurdistan region.

A security source stated, “Security information and follow-up led to the arrest of the gang after obtaining judicial approvals, and its members were referred to the competent authorities.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency