Middle East

Saudi Arabia and its neighboring countries are putting pressure on Turkey to withdraw its troops from Qatar.

The number of cases of human trafficking has increased in recent years in Libya, according to the head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, Mustafa Abdel Kabir, who recently published this information on his blog.

Damascus is currently facing two serious challenges - fighting terrorism and countering attempts to divide the country, Syrian lawmaker Khaled al Abud told Sputnik.

An explosive device went off at a security checkpoint of the Syrian army in Mashrou Dummar in northwestern Damascus, several people have been injured, witnesses told Sputnik on Monday.

The US-led coalition against Daesh carried out 21 strikes consisting of 75 engagements against the terror group in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, including 12 strikes near Raqqa that destroyed tactical positions, Operation Inherent Resolve said in a press release.

A convoy of Russian military vehicles has brought food and medicine to a prenatal center in Al-Waer, a town in Syria’s central Homs province that was recently liberated from Daesh terrorists.

For decades, the Nordic countries' collaboration with Saudi Arabia has triggered fierce criticism from an ethical standpoint. The recent nomination of 31-year-old Muhammad bin Salman, who is known for his hawkish behavior, as Saudi Crown Prince and potential heir to the throne, has once again stirred fears of the Saudis sponsoring hardline Islam.

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a phone conversation on Sunday evening with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and expressed commitment to develop the bilateral relations in all fields despite the ongoing diplomatic row in the Persian Gulf.

Tehran announced on Sunday it gave a visa-free entry for tourist groups from Russia traveling to Iran.

President of Iran Hassan Rouhani has called on the regional states to stay rational in case of any disagreements, adding that sanctions and intimidation was a bad way to settle problems, in particular the recent Arab states-Qatar diplomatic row.

Israel conducted another attack on the positions of the Syrian Armed Forces in Golan Heights, the Syrian army said Sunday in a statement.

Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman who was recently chosen as the heir of the Saudi throne made an impressing and rapid career, orientalist Yuri Zinin said in an interview with Radio Sputnik.

A total of 20 Jewish men, including several minors, tried to enter the Joseph's Tomb, a holy site located in the West Bank town of Nablus that is under control of the Palestinian authorities, and were arrested, local media reported Sunday.

The Israeli Air Forces on Saturday attacked the Syrian government forces' tanks and artillery positions after 10 projectiles fell on the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights from Syria.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) attacked the Syrian army positions for the second time this week after projectiles from Syrian territory again fell in the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has pardoned or reduced sentences of 1,049 prisoners on the occasion of the Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, local media reported on Sunday.

Several projectiles, launched from the Syrian territory, fell in the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights, causing no injuries, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) said Sunday.

The Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo and the Khalid ibn Walid Mosque in Homs will be restored by the Chechen Republic’s Akhmad Kadyrov Fund. The mosques are set to reopen in August 2018.

The Russian military has delivered 5.2 tons of humanitarian aid to civilians in Syria’s provinces in the past 24 hours, the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said in its daily bulletin on Sunday.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt handed a 13-point ultimatum to Qatar. The list contains demands Doha needs to meet in order to restore ties with other Arab nations.