English-speaking child IS militant beheads Syrian rebel in new killing video
An English-speaking child appears to have carried out the beheading of a Syrian rebel in a grisly new killing video by the IS group.
According to analyst Rita Katz, the child says in English, "America, these are the soldiers you spend money on."
Syrian state media show footage of celebrations in Shi'ite villages
Syrian state news agency SANA has published this video footage showing celebrations in the two Shi'ite villages of Nubl and Zahraa, which had been under siege by rebel groups -- including Al Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra Front -- for three years until yesterday.
Syrian government forces backed by Shi'ite militias and Russian air strikes broke through to the villages on Feb. 3 and entered them today.
Syrian army source says Aleppo will soon be encircled by gov't troops
A Syrian army source has said that the city of Aleppo will soon be encircled by government forces, who are advancing with Russian air support, Reuters reports.
Aleppo, just 50 km (30 miles) south of the Turkish border, is a major strategic prize in the war and is currently divided into areas of government and opposition control. Many of the rebels fighting in and around Aleppo have close ties to Turkey.
Since the start of Russia's bombing campaign on Sept. 30, the Syrian army and its allies have launched major offensives to the south of Aleppo against rebels, and to the east against Islamic State.
This week, three days of intensive Russian bombing helped the army and allied fighters to severe a major supply line to the northwest of the city, in the process reaching two Shi'ite towns loyal to the government for the first time in 3-1/2 years.
The report comes as the Syrian civil war seems to be entering a new phase, with government forces backed by loyalist militias -- including foreign Shi'ite militiamen -- advance in Aleppo province, breaking a years'-long rebel siege of two Shi'ite towns, Nubl and Zahraa and breaking rebel supply lines from Aleppo into Turkey.
Fall of Aleppo would be devastating for rebels
If Aleppo falls to the government, it would be a "devastating blow" to anti-Assad forces, the Guardian reports. These forces include Al-Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra Front, which sent a large convoy of reinforcements to northern Aleppo last week.
Aleppo 'emptying en masse'
The Russian Defense Ministry says that rebel fighters -- whom it calls terrorists regardless of which group they belong to -- are retreating toward the Turkish border.
Meanwhile, Turkey has said that the Syrian army offensive in Aleppo, backed by Russian air strikes, has caused an exodus of people from northern Aleppo towards Turkey.
Analysts have warned that the Syrian government advances in Aleppo will prompt an even greater flow of refugees from Syria as Aleppo empties.
This video footage published today shows newly-arrived displaced Syrians in the border town of Azaz.
On anniversary of her death in IS captivity, Kayla Mueller's family share photo
American aid worker Kayla Mueller was reported killed in Islamic State captivity a year ago.
Her family have shared a photograph of the last time Mueller was home.
IS said that Mueller died in a coalition air strike in Syria.
But two Yazidi girls who had been held as slaves by IS said that Mueller was murdered by IS after being raped repeatedly by its leader. Mueller told the Yazidi girls that she had been tortured after she was abducted.
A memorial playground in Mueller's hometown of Prescott, Arizona is being built this spring in tribute to the aid worker.
The Russian Defense Ministry has posted photos on its English-language Facebook account that it says shows changes to the transport infrastructure on the Turkey-Syria border near Reyhanli that the ministry says could be evidence of a planned invasion by Turkey.
However, during war-time, in such a way the transport infrastructure is preparing on the eve of military intervention. And such platforms are used for supporting the rapid movement of military convoys carrying ammunition and weapons in the war zone, as well as for operational personnel deployment and evacuation.
The Russian Defense Ministry is tweeting its accusations that Syrian rebels -- including Islamists -- are being supplied with weapons and fighters via Turkey.
Russian bombs triggering mass exodus from Aleppo: Turkish PM
Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that Russian air strikes in Syria have triggered a mass exodus of people from Aleppo toward the Turkish border.
Davutoglu made its comments at a Syria donors' conference in London.
Tensions between Russia and Turkey have soared since Turkey downed a Russian bomber near the Syrian border in November. Turkey has accused Russia of bombing Turkoman rebels in Latakia province, while Russia has claimed that Turkey is supplying weapons and fighters to Syrian rebel groups across its border.
Changes to transport infrastructure on Turkey-Syria border could be evidence of planned invasion: Russian Defense Ministry
RIA Novosti is reporting that the Russian Defense Ministry -- which is giving a press briefing this afternoon -- has said that changes to the transport infrastructure on the Turkey-Syria border could be evidence of preparations for a military invasion of Syria by Turkey.
Turkey supplying weapons, fighters to militants in NW Syria: Russian Defense Min
The war of words between Russia and Turkey over Syria is hotting up: Russia has accused Turkey of supplying weapons and fighters to militants in north western Syria.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters at a press briefing today that Turkey was behaving "provocatively" at its border with Syria.
"I want to bring another fact about the provocative actions of Turkey on the Syrian border. Here is an image of the checkpoint on the Turkey-Syria border near Reyhanli-Sarmada. It is through this checkpoint, mostly at night, that replenishments of fighters and weapons are carried out from Turkish territory to the terrorists who have captured the towns of Aleppo and Idlib in north western Syria," Konashenkov said.
Konashenkov said that Russia's "American and NATO partners" call the transport convoys containing weapons "humanitarian aid" and that Turkey has jailed journalists who have tried to find out what is contained in the trucks.