Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
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Egypt’s army exterminated Islamic State remnants in North Sinai: MPs
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/356376/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-army-exterminated-Islamic-State-remnants-in.aspx
“A 30-member parliamentary delegation visited Egypt’s governorate of North Sinai on Wednesday and Thursday to review the security situation there.
The delegation, including members of parliament’s Defence and National Security Committee and its head Kamal Amer, met with leading officers of the Egyptian Third Field army in Sinai and we’re updated on security conditions in North Sinai and the fight against the Islamic State (IS)-affiliated terrorist group, known as Ansar Beit El-Maqdis (ABM).
Amer, a former chief of military intelligence, told reporters Thursday that plans for this parliamentary visit were prepared a long time ago.
“We wanted to make a field visit in the governorate and take note of the progress of army operations against ABM,” said Amer, adding that “it was important for parliament’s defence and national security committee to assess the security situation in North Sinai, particularly after the launch of the counter-terrorism Comprehensive Operation Sinai in early 2018.”
He stated the visit was not limited to listening to reports from army generals about the security situation in North Sinai and the borders with the Gaza Strip.
“MPs were also keen to visit almost all check points leading to North Sinai and inside the governorate itself, and tour Arish, the capital of North Sinai which had been a main target of terrorist attacks since 2011, killing hundreds of army and police personnel and destoyig natural gas pipelines there,” said Amer.
“The committee visited Ahmed Hamdi tunnel leading to North Sinai, most of the check points in North Sinai, parts of middle Sinai, and the Oyoun Moussa tourist destination.”
According to Amer, Egypt’s Third Field army did a great job uprooting the terrorist group of ABM. “The remnants of this group are currently cornered in less than one per cent of North Sinai’s total space. They are taking refuge in mountain hideouts and trying from time to time to launch attacks, but thanks to the great men of the Third field army and their fighting efficiency, this terrorist group lost most of its power and fighting initiatives,” said Amer.
He said the visit also reviewed the role of the army in developing Sinai in terms of implementing a number of mega-development projects. “We wanted to make sure that citizens of North Sinai have access to services and supply commodities,” said Amer.
Mostafa Kamaleddin Hussein, a member of the committee, told the media that the delegation met with Chief of Staff Major General Khaled Hussein, leader of the Egyptian Third Field army. “We listened to the explanation about the progress of Comprehensive Operation Sinai,” said Hussein, adding that “the meeting included most of the senior officers of the Third Field army who were keen to answer the delegation’s questions and give many details on the security situation in North Sinai.”
Hussein noted that “the defeat of IS in Syria and Iraq and the success of the Libyan army in fighting IS militants in Libya helped in stripping their affiliate in North Sinai of any provisions.
“The arrest of a number of Egyptian IS leaders in Libya, such as Hesham Ashmawi (in May 2019), has also degraded its affiliate ABM in Sinai,” said Hussein.
Many believe that Ashmawi in Libya gave much assistance to the ISaffiliate in North Sinai, and that both were mainly involved in the attacks on churches and Christians in Egypt in 2017, for example.
According to Hussein, the parliamentary delegation also got information on the situation of Egypt’s borders with Gaza, security in main North Sinai cities, particularly Arish, and how the army and police forces safeguard most vital locations, including schools, hospitals, police stations, and public places.
Ashraf Kamal, deputy head of parliament’s defence and national security committee, said the security situation in North Sinai has dramatically improved since February 2018. “The strategy of Comprehensive Operation Sinai 2018 was based on launching preventive measures against terrorists there, cornering them, and stripping them of any foreign assistance coming by land or sea,” said Kamal, adding that “and the result was that they lost a lot in terms of personnel, land and support.”
Kamal said the delegation’s visit included a meeting with North Sinai’s tribes and the ongoing cooperation between them and the army in obliterating terrorists from North Sinai. “At the end of the visit we warmly thanked army personnel who protect Egypt’s national security and help in achieving development plans,” said Kamal.”
Turkey establishes 145-km-long, 30-km-deep safe zone in Syria: Defense minister
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-establishes-145-km-long-30-km-deep-safe-zone-in-syria-defense-minister-148958
Turkey reacts to Netherlands over deported ISIL suspects stripped of nationalities
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-reacts-to-netherlands-over-deported-isil-suspects-stripped-of-nationalities-148966
“Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy has slammed the Dutch government over two women from the Netherlands who were deported by Turkey over ISIL links.
“In the deportation process of foreigners, who were found to be in conflict zones, coordination is established with the country concerned and preliminary notification is given about travel planning,” Aksoy said in a written statement.
The spokesperson said this should have been the case with the Dutch citizens deported to the Netherlands on Nov. 19.
Aksoy criticized the statements against Turkey’s deportation process. “It is also evident that those who claim to have suffered weakness in the fight against DAESH [ISIL] avoid responsibility.”
These people should be taken back to their countries of origin, tried and rehabilitated there, he said.
Dutch Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus and Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in a letter to the Dutch parliament that one of the women who has two children with her had been stripped of her Dutch nationality.
The ministers said they “regret’’ that Turkey decided to send her back despite Dutch requests not to deport her.
The woman was denied entry to the Netherlands and taken into detention when she arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. The other Dutch woman who had traveled to Syria returned to the Netherlands on the same flight. Both face prosecution.
Ankara recently stepped up the return of suspected foreign ISIL members back to their countries of origin.”
Haftar spokesman insists on military solution in Libya
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/politics/2019/11/21/haftar-spokesman-insists-on-military-solution-in-libya_150093c2-70cc-4889-90e0-c37263c8241b.html
“Ahmed Al Mismari, spokesman for General Khalifa Haftar in Libya, said on his Facebook page Thursday that there is “no possibility for success for a political or economic solution of the crisis in Libya before a firm military confrontation”.
“That which the head of the Presidential Council is directing is nothing more than a mix of terrorist groups and armed militias that imposed themselves with the force of arms and no political or economic process can be successful if it isn’t preceded by a firm military and security process in accordance with the foundations and the rules that allow for the re-establishment of the sovereign state, far from the authority of the terrorist groups and criminal militias that currently govern Tripoli,” Mismari said.
He said the general command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Haftar has already determined its position with regards to international efforts in statements at the ministerial meeting in New York and in preparatory meetings at the Berlin conference, “highlighting that no political process can have success if terrorist groups and criminal militias are not eliminated first, dismantled and disarmed”.
“These terrorist groups constitute an obstacle to the stability of the State, to the political solution, and to the creation of an authority in Tripoli that can have a political will and a constitutional basis,” Mismari said.
“The Berlin conference needs to make a map of terrorist groups and their supporters, taking into account the UN Security Council resolutions, in particular those that regard parties that support terrorist groups,” he said.”
Admiral says 55,000 children at sea can’t be ignored
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2019/11/21/admiral-says-55000-children-at-sea-cant-be-ignored_7ce93c40-f4a5-4d74-98b1-8048c09b31a7.html
“Italian Coast Guard Admiral Giovanni Pettorino said the Coast Guard rescued a total of 55,000 unaccompanied minors in the Central Mediterranean from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018 and called it a “striking figure, behind which there are many tragedies”.
“We can be divided on anything, but this reality of the children no one can escape from and no one can ignore it,” Pettorino said during a presentation of the Coast Guard calendar in Naples.
“These unaccompanied minors, who then disembarked on our shores, were truly little, I’m talking about children three, four, eight, 10 years old,” he said.
“It was striking, this reality of children who come from tormented areas, I believe it was one of the experiences that hit our crews the most. In this delicate work, we were accompanied by UNICEF workers aboard who supported the children during the operations on our ships.
They all came from difficult times in their countries, and UNICEF’s experience was very important for us,” he said.
UK to repatriate British orphans of ‘Islamic State’ fighters
https://www.dw.com/en/uk-to-repatriate-british-orphans-of-islamic-state-fighters/a-51359600
“The UK government has arranged for British orphans in Syria to be repatriated to the UK. The UK now joins Germany in repatriating children whose parents were suspected members of the so-called “Islamic State.”…”
Canada: Pro-Palestinian protesters occupy York University campus in Toronto
Dozens of students at Toronto’s York University held an anti-Israeli protest inside the university campus on Wednesday, as former Israeli soldiers were set to speak to students on their experiences in the army, reports say.
The activists were seen waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans.
According to reports, a Holocaust-denying newspaper editor Nazih Khatatba also took part in the demonstrations
Toronto Police and private security agents were deployed on the spot to keep control of the situation.
CNN – FBI official investigated for allegedly altering document in 2016 Russia probe
An FBI official is under criminal investigation after allegedly altering a document related to 2016 surveillance of a Trump campaign adviser, several people briefed on the matter told CNN.
Not certain if this was posted, but nonetheless: Another historical building goes up in flames, this time in London (UK). The Claremont Hotel, built in 1850, is totally gutted. From reports, the fire either started at the back of the hotel or in the basement.
A heartbreaking story. IMO, too many recent fires on European historical buildings.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7714509/Blaze-seafront-hotel-prompts-evacuations.html