Islamic State group

A new life sprouts up around Mosul

Mosul - Muslimchronicle

Even before the Islamic State group took over her home city of Mosul, Iraqi 31-year-old Nesrine never imagined she would have a job working late into the evening at a fashion boutique. But now, in districts of Iraq's second city not left totally devastated by the ferocious fighting to oust the jihadists, life is buzzing again -- with more vibrancy than ever.Read more

Philippines' Duterte seeks martial law extension for south

Manila - Muslimchronicle

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte asked Congress on Monday to extend martial law across the southern third of the country until the end of next year. In a letter to lawmakers released by his office, Duterte said extending martial law was necessary in the southern region of Mindanao to contain an ongoing rebellion by Islamic State group supporters as well asRead more

IS media offline for a day

Beirut - Muslimchronicle

The Islamic State group's online propaganda channels went mysteriously quiet for more than a full day between Wednesday and Thursday, in what analysts said was an "unprecedented" silence. IS, which uses messaging application Telegram to broadcast daily updates on military operations and claims of attacks, published nothing between 0900 GMT on Wednesday and 1001 GMT on Thursday. Charlie Winter, seniorRead more

John Cantlie: plea for release of British Isis hostage

London - Muslimchronicle

Media rights watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called for renewed efforts to secure the release of British photojournalist John Cantlie held by the Islamic State group on the fifth anniversary of his kidnapping. Cantlie was taken near the Turkish border in northern Syria along with US journalist James Foley, who was beheaded by Isis in 2014. “Today marks five longRead more

Iraqis say life under IS was an open-air prison

Al-Qaim - Muslimchroncle

They emerge timidly from houses to survey the debris-strewn streets of their town. As Iraqi forces hunt down diehard jihadists, Al-Qaim residents recall three years of hell in "open-air prison". "At last we'll be able to sleep easily without worrying about air raids or being arrested," says a smiling clearly relieved Qassem Derbi. "We're no longer afraid of going toRead more

Iraq forces retake Al-Qaim from IS jihadists

Baghdad - Muslimchronicle

Iraqi forces Friday captured the biggest town under Islamic State group control in Iraq, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said, driving another nail into the coffin of the jihadists' self-styled caliphate. Abadi hailed the "liberation of Al-Qaim in record time" in a statement, after Iraqi troops entered the key town on the border with Syria on Friday morning. source: AFPRead more

NY attacker 'radicalized domestically,' 'associated with ISIS': governor

New York - Muslimchronicle

The Uzbek national who plowed through a New York bicycle path, killing eight people, was associated with Islamic State group but "radicalized domestically," the state's governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. The suspect, Sayfullo Saipov, was shot by police at the end of the rampage in lower Manhattan Tuesday but was expected to recover from his wounds. "He's a depraved cowardRead more

Al-Qaim: last IS bastion in Iraq

Baghdad - Muslimchronicle

The desert towns of Al-Qaim and Rawa near Syria's border in the Euphrates Valley, where Iraqi forces launched operations Thursday, constitute the final Islamic State group bastion in the country. The US-led coalition battling the jihadists has called the assault "the last big fight" and capturing the region will help drive a final nail into the coffin of the ISRead more

Iraq forces retake centre of IS bastion Hawija

Baghdad - Muslimchronicle

Iraqi forces said Thursday they had retaken the centre of Islamic State group stronghold Hawija and were pushing forward in their assault on one of the last IS enclaves in the country. Troops, police and paramilitaries "liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance," the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said source: AFPRead more

US-backed force says hit by Russia, regime strikes in east Syria

Beirut - Muslimchronicle

A US-backed force battling the Islamic State group in eastern Syria said six of its fighters were wounded on Saturday in air strikes by regime and Russian warplanes. The Syrian Democratic Forces said the strikes hit their fighters on the east bank of the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor province at 3:30 am (0030 GMT). The SDF and Russian-backed governmentRead more