WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, October 23, 2017.

Philippines operations over

The Philippines has declared an end to five months of fighting between government forces and Daesh-affiliated militants in southern Marawi City. The defense minister said no terrorists are left in the city. Militants launched an offensive in Marawi back in May. Thousands of troops were then deployed to fight the militants and free the city. A martial law was also enforced across the southern part of the country to deal with the crisis. The siege of Marawi by pro-Daesh militants was the biggest internal security challenge for the Philippines in years. More than 1,000 people, mostly militants, have been killed since the militant group started carrying out attacks in the southern city.

Daesh Syria massacre

A UK based monitoring group says Daesh Takfiri terrorists had killed nearly 130 people in a town in central Homs province before it was liberated by the Syrian army. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, civilians were massacred in Qaryatayn for over three-week period before it was taken over by the Syrian army. The monitoring group said Daesh members shot the victims with guns or executed them with knives, accusing the locals of cooperating with government forces. There’s no immediate comment from the Syrian government on the report. Qaryatayn fell to Daesh hands in 2015. The Syrian army managed to regain the town last year but lost its control again. On Saturday, the army once again secured the town after several days of intense fighting with the terrorists.

Israeli arrest campaign

Israeli forces have detained more than 50 Palestinians during a raid in the town of Isawiyah, east of Jerusalem al-Quds. Eyewitnesses say the Israeli troops were escorted by dozens of armored vehicles and a helicopter. Israel claims the detained Palestinians had attended anti-Israeli protests. Isawiyah town has witnessed a number of protests and clashes after Israel placed metal detectors at the entrances to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, three months ago. Separately, four Palestinians were also arrested by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Israeli forces also sealed off the main entrance to Yamun town, west of Jenin, with a military checkpoint.

Myanmar ‘Rohingya propaganda’

The UN hosts a fundraising conference in Geneva to secure aid to address Rohingya refugees’ needs in Bangladesh. The conference focuses on the food crisis the Rohinya refugees are struggling with in Bangladeshi camps. The donors had promised to pay 135 million dollars before the conference, as a part of the funds needed to address the crisis. Aid groups say some 434 million dollars are needed to deal with the Rohingya refugee crisis. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council has accused Myanmar of hindering his country’s efforts to find a durable solution.

US interference in Iraq

The Iraqi government has censured comments made by the US Secretary of State regarding Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces. In a statement, the office of the Prime Minister underlined that no party has the right to interfere in Iraq’s internal matters. Rex Tillerson had earlier said that it was time for “Iranian-backed militias and their Iranian advisers in Iraq to go home”. Tillerson made the remarks in the Saudi capital Riyadh as part of his six-day visit to the region. The top American diplomat attended the inaugural session of the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council which was promoted by Washington to boost ties between Riyadh and Baghdad. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units also known as volunteer forces have been battling Daesh terrorists along Iraq's border with Syria in coordination with the central government in Baghdad.

Syria gains

The Syrian army is pressing ahead with an offensive to recapture an area which is Daesh’s last stronghold in Syria. The Syrian troops and allied forces have reportedly reached the vicinity of the town of Abu Kamal in Dayr al-Zawr province. They also took control of a supply route connecting Abu Kamal to its nearby desert outposts held by Daesh. The town, along Iraq’s border, is the last area still under the control of Takfiri terrorists after the recapture of Raqqah city and the town of Mayadeen. Syrian military officials also say the army has surrounded the T-Two oil pumping station in the south of Dayr al-Zawr province. Meanwhile, the US-led coalition says it is contacting the Russians to de-conflict the situation on the ground near the al-Omar oil field in Syria’s east.

Catalonia independence crisis

Catalonia’s separatist parties have threatened to launch a campaign of mass civil disobedience against the Spanish government if it imposes direct rule over the region. They said this would be a response to what they call Madrid’s assault on Catalan institutions. The move is backed by police, firefighters, teachers, and students. They have threatened to stage strikes and protests if the Spanish government triggers constitutional powers to sack Catalan government and force early parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, a Catalan separatist party, Together for Yes, said the regional parliament will meet Thursday to decide on a response to Madrid. A spokesman said the party is also planning to put up a legal challenge to Madrid’s application of article 155 of the constitution. The Spanish senate is set to vote on the constitutional powers on Friday.

Respecting Iraq integrity

Russia has called on the government in Iraq’s Kurdish region to mutually coordinate their actions with Baghdad. Lavrov, made the appeal following a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jafaari in Moscow. He says Russia acknowledges Kurdish hopes to strengthen their identity but this cannot be done at the expense of regional stability. Meanwhile, the Kurdish semi-autonomous region has delayed elections which had been scheduled for November first. The electoral commission says political parties failed to nominate candidates for the parliamentary and presidential vote. Iraq’s Kurdistan region has been in turmoil since holding the September 25 secession referendum which was held despite international condemnation. Last week Iraqi forces dealt a blow to the plans by recapturing oil rich Kirkuk province from Kurdish forces, who had expanded their territorial control over the area during the country's battle against Daesh.

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