Author: Bassem Mroue
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US: Errant strike killed 18 allied Syrian forces
BEIRUT — A misdirected airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition earlier this week killed 18 allied fighters battling the Islamic State group in northern Syria, the U.S. military said Thursday. U.S. Central Command said coalition aircraft were given the wrong coordinates by their partner forces, the predominantly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, for the strike on Tuesday that…
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Some Christians arm as Mideast perils mount
QAA, Lebanon (AP) — Every day around sunset, dozens of residents of this small Lebanese Christian village on the border carry their automatic rifles and deploy on surrounding hills, taking up positions and laying ambushes in case Muslim extremists from neighboring Syria attack. “We all know that if they come, they will slit our throats…
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Hezbollah not interested in dialogue with U.S.
BEIRUT — Hezbollah’s deputy chief said Monday his group is not interested in a dialogue with Washington until the U.S. changes its Mideast policy, which he said is totally biased in favor of Israel. Sheik Naim Kassem was responding to leading U.S. expert on the Middle East Ryan Crocker who told Congress earlier this month…