Hundreds of Syrian Christians flee IS
BEIRUT – Hundreds of Christian families have fled a central Syrian town as Islamic State fighters advance toward it, activists said Saturday, the anniversary of the United States beginning airstrikes against the extremists in Iraq.
A U.S.-led coalition has conducted nearly 6,000 airstrikes against the Islamic State group, expanding its operations to target the extremists in Syria, as well. But a year later, the Islamic State group remains able to launch attacks across its self-declared “caliphate” in both countries, despite some gains by Kurdish fighters and allied Iraqi forces.
Meanwhile, searches continued in Egypt for a missing Croatian hostage an Islamic State affiliate had threatened to kill.
On Saturday, Osama Edward, director of the Christian Assyrian Network for Human Rights in Syria, said “hundreds of families” have fled the Christian town of Sadad toward the government-held central city of Homs and the capital, Damascus.
Detained reporter’s final hearing Monday
TEHRAN, Iran – Detained Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian will appear in an Iranian court Monday for what likely will be the last hearing in his closed-door espionage trial, his lawyer said Saturday.
Lawyer Leila Ahsan told The Associated Press that Monday’s court session will be devoted to her defense of Rezaian, the Post’s Tehran bureau chief.
“Almost certainly, Monday will be my client’s final court hearing unless something unpredictable happens,” Ahsan said. “I’ve already prepared a comprehensive bill of defense to hand over to the judge. I’ll also (speak) in the courtroom to prove that Rezaian is innocent.”
Ahsan did not elaborate on her defense strategy, though she said that under Iran’s new penal code, Rezaian should have been freed July 22, the anniversary of his detention. “Unfortunately, it has not happened yet,” she said.
Ahsan said it’s not clear how long it will take before the judge issues a verdict.
Rezaian, his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two photojournalists were detained July 22, 2014, in Tehran. All were later released except Rezaian. Salehi, a journalist for The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi, reportedly has been banned from leaving Iran.
Rezaian reportedly faces 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted in Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on charges that include espionage and distributing propaganda against the Islamic Republic.
Afghan capital uneasy after attacks kill 44
KABUL, Afghanistan – A series of attacks that killed at least 44 people and wounded over 300 in one day has shattered the relative calm of Afghanistan’s capital, even as some had hoped fledgling negotiations with the Taliban and the death of their figurehead could bring peace.
The attacks Friday in Kabul marked the highest number of civilians killed and wounded in a single day, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which began keeping its statistics in 2009. Even Saturday, as Afghans protested the violence and donated blood to victims, people remained on edge.
Friday’s attacks included a massive truck bombing that killed 15 people and wounded more than 200 and a suicide bomber that killed at least 20 cadets and wounded 24.
Meanwhile, Saturday in eastern Nangarhar province, a roadside bomb killed a traffic police officer and a civilian and wounded three.
Associated Press
