Monday, August 4, 2014
Ukrainian soldiers crossed into Russian territory Sunday, but Kiev said Monday they were forced there after running out of ammunition. Moscow is offering another version: The soldiers deserted the Ukrainian army.
Russia gave more than 400 Ukrainian soldiers safe passage into its territory overnight, and only 180 of them asked to be returned to Ukraine, Vasiliy Malayev, head of the border patrol in Russia’s Rostov region, told the Associated Press.
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Sunday, August 3, 2014
The Israel Army has been preparing to halt its offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli infantry and armored units have been withdrawing from the Gaza Strip amid plans to suspend the offensive against Hamas and its Palestinian militia allies.
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At least 11 Lebanese Army soldiers were killed and 13 were taken hostage in Arsal, during clashes between the Army and Syrian armed groups that have so far killed 30 militants, according to security sources.
Army chief, Gen. Jean Kahwagi, confirmed in a press conference that 10 soldiers had died and 13 were missing, saying they were most likely kidnapped. Shortly after the army commander spoke a Lebanese sergeant, Yehia Dirani, died in clashes near Arsal’s technical institute, bringing the death toll to 11.
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Officials and residents say militants with the Islamic State extremist group have seized two small towns in northern Iraq after driving out Kurdish security forces.
Mosul governor Atheel al-Nujaifi, who fled to the largely autonomous Kurdish region when the Islamic State group and allied Sunni militants seized Iraq’s second largest city in June, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the towns of Zumar and Sinjar fell after fierce clashes that erupted the day before.
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Saturday, August 2, 2014
A sharp escalation in fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh has left 15 soldiers dead and prompted Russia to issue an urgent call for calm.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that 12 of its troops have been killed in the past four days, including four overnight. Nagorno-Karabakh’s armed forces said one of its soldiers was killed early Saturday, the third in recent days.
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