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Displaced Iraqis sit on an army vehicle as they flee their homes in the northwestern Mosul neighborhood of Musharifah on May 4, 2017, during an ongoing government offensive against Daesh. (Photo by AFP)

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, May 26, 2017.

 

Battle for Mosul

The Iraqi army and its allied units have launched an all-out offensive to fully seize the last Daesh enclave in Mosul. The Iraqi air force dropped leaflets, calling on residents to flee at their earliest. The enclave covers mainly the old city in western Mosul and three other districts that straddle the western bank of the Tigris River. The army has engaged in door-to-door battles in western Mosul several times over the last few months. Daesh has already been pushed out of numerous districts of the flashpoint city. The terrorist group lost eastern Mosul to the Iraqis in January. Mosul’s full liberation will see Daesh lose its last major stronghold in Iraq.

Afghanistan bomb attack

At least 14 people are killed and eight wounded in a bombing in eastern Afghanistan. According to authorities, the bodies are mangled beyond recognition and they cannot tell if the dead are civilians or security forces. The explosion happened in Khost province on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In the meantime, militants attacked security forces in the north-western province of Badghis. The fighting left a total of 36 people dead, among them 22 terrorists. The Afghan government is battling both Taliban and Daesh militants across the country. Taliban terrorists have stepped up their attacks in recent weeks, with a string of strikes in Kandahar, Paktia, and Helmand, among other provinces.

Palestinian hunger strike halted

Hundreds of Palestinian inmates in Israeli jails have suspended their hunger strike after 40 days following an agreement with the Israeli side. Palestinian officials say the hunger striking prisoners have reached an understanding with Israeli officials on improving their conditions. Israel’s Prisons Service says it has reached a compromise with the Palestinian Authority and the Red Cross for prisoners to receive an additional family visit each month. Palestinian prisoners declared a hunger strike last month in protest against their dire conditions in jails. They demanded an end to mistreatment and practice of administrative detention through which Israel holds prisoners without charge or trial for an indefinite period.

Kashmir violence

In Indian-administered Kashmir, massive protests and clashes have erupted after Indian forces killed a top pro-independence commander in a gun battle. Sabzar Ahmed Bhat and a fellow militant were killed in an overnight raid on their hideout in Srinagar. Protests began while Indian forces were closing in on the trapped fighters. The angry demonstrators chanted anti-India slogans in an attempt to help the rebels escape. Clashes between protesters and security forces erupted in several places in the area. Indian security forces fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to stop the protests. Many civilians were reported injured in the clashes. Last year, Kashmir was hit by similar protests and clashes following the killing of charismatic leader Burhan Wani in the south of Srinagar.

Egypt terror attack

Daesh Takfiri terrorists have claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt that killed 29 people and wounded many more. This is while the Egyptian air force continues to launch strikes against the terrorists’ targets in Libya. The raids began hours after the incident. On Friday, masked gunmen attacked a bus travelling to a remote desert monastery in central Egypt. The assailants stopped the vehicle on its way and opened fire. Most of the victims were children. Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 92 million population. In recent months they have been targeted by a series of deadly attacks, claimed by Daesh.

Iran Russia call

Iran and Russia reiterate the need to continue their cooperation on fighting terrorism and working out a political solution to end the years-long crisis in Syria. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed the latest developments in Syria during a phone conversation. Stepping up economic ties between the two nations was another topic the two leaders talked about. Rouhani and Putin once again underlined Tehran and Moscow’s full commitment to the landmark nuclear deal reached between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015.

British Airways flights canceled

British Airways cancels all flights from two major airports of the capital London due to an IT system failure. Heathrow and Gatwick airports were affected as a computer network of the airline stopped working around the globe. Authorities cancelled all flights from those airports until 17 GMT, urging passengers not to come to the airports as they were already extremely congested. In a statement, British Airways said it had not found any evidence of cyber-attack yet. The airline ran into similar problems in July and September last year with many passengers affected by the disruptions.

 


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