Damascus Says Turkey, Saudi Arabia Responsible For IS 'Massacre' In Deir Al-Zor
The Syrian government has accused Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey of funding and supporting "armed terrorist groups" in Syria and said that an alleged "massacre" in the eastern Syrian town of Deir al-Zor was "a continuation of a series of barbaric and methodical terrorist acts" by such groups.
In a letter sent today to the UN Secretary General and the UN Security Council, Syria's Foreign Ministry said that IS "hordes" had killed over 280 people in al-Baghiliya and abducted 400 more people.
However, there have been conflicting reports about mass casualties and abductions in the January 16 attack by the IS group on Deir al-Zor, most of which is under IS control.
Syrian state media said that hundreds of people had been killed in an attack on the village of al-Baghiliya on the northwestern outskirts of the city.
But rebel activists say there has been no "massacre" or large-scale abductions. The opposition DeirEzzor24 news website said that there is "no evidence" that IS carried out a mass killing in al-Baghaliya.
Belgian Directly Linked To Paris Attacks Arrested In Morocco
ITV News has a couple more details about the breaking story that a Belgian man with direct links to the November 13 attacks in Paris has been arrested in Morocco.
According to ITV, the Moroccan Interior Ministry said the man is a Belgian national of Moroccan descent. The Ministry have only disclosed an initial in Arabic and said the suspect allegedly fought with the Al Nusra Front -- Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate -- in Syria before joining the IS group.
The U.S.-led coalition has released information on its latest strikes against the IS group in Iraq and Syria.
A Belgian man with "direct links" to those involved in the November 13 attacks in Paris has been arrested in Morocco, AFP is reporting.
The IS group claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, in which 130 people were killed.
Clashes Between IS, Libyan Army In Benghazi
Al Wasat news and other sources are reporting clashes between IS militants and the Libyan army in Benghazi in the early hours of this morning.
This map by Libya's Al Wasat news shows where the IS group is active in the country.
The militants control over 150 miles of coastline around Sirte and has advanced eastwards to take Bin Jawad to the north west of the oil terminal of Sidra.
Ramadi A 'Ghost Town' After Battle To Retake It From IS
Although the Iraqi military has retaken the town of Ramadi in Iraq's western province of Anbar, the town is now deserted, with buildings flattened by air strikes and homes and stores abandoned by residents.
Most of Ramadi's half a million strong population has fled and is living in refugee camps, while their homes have been booby trapped by IS militants as they retreated.
IS Attacks On Libya's Oil Terminals Raises Risk For Oil Sector
The recent attacks by the IS group on Libya's "oil crescent" underscores the threat to the country's oil industry, Reuters reports.
IS has now retreated -- for now -- from the oil ports of Ras Lanuf and Sidra after three days of attacks, but oil infrastructure is still vulnerable.
The Moscow branch of the Red Cross has asked Russia's Defense Minister for permission to join humanitarian aid convoys in Syria, pro-Kremlin news agency RIA Novosti is reporting.
Moscow Red Cross chairman Igor Trunov said his organization had written to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on January 15.
The move came after Shoigu said last week that Russia intended to deploy a humanitarian mission to help civilians in Syrian cities besieged by the IS group.
IS Captures New Areas In Eastern Syria
IS militants have captured new areas near the city of Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria, opposition activists say.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says IS captured areas north of Deir al-Zor today including an army base in Ayash village. Another opposition activist also said IS captured Ayash.
IS already controls most of Deir al-Zor province and Deir al-Zor city.