Middle East

Activists, Kurds: Islamic State group nearly out of Kobani

The extremist Islamic State group has nearly been pushed out of the Syrian border town of Kobani, activists and Kurdish officials said Monday, making a major symbolic victory both for the Kurds and the U.S.-led coalition targeting the extremists.
Shiite rebels violently disperse demonstrators in Yemen

Shiite rebels armed with knives and batons attacked and detained demonstrators Monday protesting against their power grab in Yemen's capital, witnesses said.
Iraq 'sleeper cells' fight Islamic State group

"Sleeper cells" made up of former Iraqi police officers and soldiers are tipping off authorities to Islamic State group positions in the northern city of Mosul, a prominent lawmaker has told The Associated Press.

Mideast

Afghanistan

Iraq

Israel

Saudi Arabia

Pakistan

Report: US, Iraq prepare offensive to retake Mosul

The U.S. and Iraq are preparing for an assault by summer to retake Mosul, selecting and training military units and cutting supply lines to Islamic State militants who control Iraq’s second-largest city, the top American commander in the Middle East told the Wall Street Journal.
Bahrain School closed Sunday in observance of Saudi King’s death

The Department of Defense Dependents Schools-operated Bahrain School will be closed Sunday as part of a three-day period mourning the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah. All public establishments and ministries in the Persian Gulf island kingdom will be closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Hagel dismisses usefulness of body counts in Islamic State fight

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel warned Thursday against using body counts as a metric to judge the U.S. campaign against the Islamic State militant group.

Activists: Syrian airstrike kills at least 32 near Damascus

A Syrian government airstrike hit an opposition-held suburb of the capital shortly after Friday prayers, killing at least 32 people, scattering bodies and rubble in the streets and setting at least one building on fire, activists said.

Pakistani airstrikes kill 35 militants in tribal region

Pakistani warplanes pounded militant sanctuaries near the northwestern Afghan border Sunday, killing 35 militants, the army said.

UN's Syria envoy pledges new push for a political solution

Warning that the Islamic State is just 20 miles from Aleppo, the United Nations special envoy for Syria urged the warring sides to freeze the use of heavy weapons in and around what was once Syria's business capital as a first step toward reviving derailed peace efforts.

GALLERY

New year brings new season of buzkashi to Afghanistan

With a swirl of dust, sweat and pounding hooves, the annual season of buzkashi, Afghanistan’s national sport, is in full swing. A game of horsemanship that traces its roots to the medieval nomadic tribes that roamed Central Asia’s steppes, buzkashi is still played in various forms across the region.
US troops to deploy to Middle East to train Syrian rebels

American troops are preparing to deploy to the Middle East to train moderate Syrian rebels, Pentagon officials said Friday.
US watchdog: Buildings at Afghanistan training range ‘melting’

A dry fire range in Wardak province is disintegrating because of shoddy materials, the builder’s failure to meet contract requirements and insufficient oversight, according to the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction.
New Afghan cabinet nominations announced

The government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced nominations for 25 Cabinet posts on Monday, ending a three-month deadlock that threatened his program to tackle rampant corruption and confront Taliban insurgents now that most international troops have left.