Blogs of War, run by John Little, offers this cynical response to the reports of a draft agreement for a Syrian ceasefire to begin Feb. 27.
Provisional agreement on temporary Syria truce: Syrian opposition
Lots of cynicism -- much of it justified -- about the breaking news reports that Russia and the United States have agreed on a Syria ceasefire starting Feb. 27...
David Kenner of Foreign Policy magazine refers to reports that the ceasefire will not apply to the IS group or Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate the Al-Nusra Front. Will Russia continue to bomb rebel groups that it claims are affiliated to Nusra?
ABC's Kirit Radia also wonders whether Damascus -- whose Russian-backed forces have made significant gains over the past weeks -- will go along with the ceasefire. (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said last week that he intends to regain control over all of Syria.)
Breaking: U.S.-Russia draft calls for Syria ceasefire to start Feb. 27 - Reuters
Reuters is citing Western diplomatic sources as saying that Russia and the United States have agreed a draft proposal calling for a Syrian ceasefire to start on Feb. 27.
IS rigs currency rates in Mosul to prop up finances: Reuters
IS militants in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul are manipulating the exchange rate between U.S. dollars and Iraqi dinars to squeeze money out of local people as coalition bombers attack the group's finances, Reuters is reporting.
The U.S-led coalition against IS says that in addition to attacking IS militants and leaders it will go after financial infrastructure too.
IS frees Syrian Christians held since 2015 for ransom: AP
The Islamic State group has released the last of some 230 Assyrian Christians abducted a year ago in Syria after receiving millions of dollars in ransom, Christian officials told The Associated Press.
IS originally asked for $18 million in ransom for the Christians, but officials say that sum was lowered following negotiations.
Younan Talia, of the Assyrian Democratic Organization, told The Associated Press that about 40 remaining Christian captives were released early Monday and are on their way to the northeastern town of Tal Tamr.
Younan said the release came after mediation led by a top Assyrian priest in northern Syria.
The extremists captured the Assyrians, members of an ancient Christian sect, last February after overrunning several communities on the southern bank of the Khabur River in northeastern Hassakeh province.
From our news desk:
Tajiks Detained After 'Liking' Islamic State Video
HATLON, Tajikistan -- Fourteen residents of Tajikistan's Yovon district have been detained for questioning after they clicked a "like" button on an Islamic extremist video that had been posted to the online Odnoklassniki social network.
An official in the Yovon district told RFE/RL on February 22 that the men were detained and questioned as part of an investigation into the video, which called on Tajik men to join the Islamic State (IS) militant group.
Ten of the detained men were released after an interrogation, while four remained in custody on February 22.
Tajik authorities say at least 1,000 Tajik citizens have traveled to Iraq and Syria to fight alongside IS militants.
Tajik officials also have raised concerns because the IS recruiting efforts appear to be attracting Tajiks at an increasing rate.
Authorities in other former Soviet republics of Central Asia also say hundreds of their citizens have fought alongside IS militants and other extremists in Syria and Iraq.
Syria envoy: deadly attacks suggest IS feeling 'cornered': AP
United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has told the Associated Press that deadly weekend bombings in Damascus and Homs claimed by the Islamic State group suggest the extremists are feeling cornered amid diplomatic efforts to end the country's five-year war.
IS cell in Morocco plotted attacks on shopping mall, hotel: AP
Moroccan officials and state media say authorities in the country dismantled a 10-person terrorist cell operating under the "supervision" of the IS group, and which was plotting imminent attacks on targets including a Casablanca shopping mall and a high-end hotel, the Associated Press reports.