WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, July 31, 2017.

Afghanistan attack

The Daesh terrorist group has claimed responsibility for an attack near the Iraqi embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul. The terrorists detonated explosive-laden cars near the diplomatic mission building before engaging in a gun battle with Afghan security forces. Police have cordoned off the area. There are no official reports on the number of possible casualties but eyewitnesses have reported the death of two Afghan policemen. The Daesh terrorist group is trying to gain foothold in Afghanistan following its recent losses in Iraq and Syria. The attack by the terrorists on the Iraqi embassy is seen as an apparent vengeance against the expulsion of the terrorists from the Iraqi land.

Australia airport chaos

Australian authorities have tightened security in airports around the country after officials said they had foiled a terror plot at one of Sydney’s airports. Several flights have been delayed as passengers were forced to go through extra security and luggage checks before boarding flights. On Saturday, four men were arrested over suspicion that they were planning to use a hand-made bomb to take down an airplane. Authorities say the tighter security measures will remain in place until the terror threat is completely waved. Australia has been hit by a series of terror attacks over the past few years including a 2014 cafe siege where two hostages were killed.

Yemen retaliation

Yemeni troops have dealt a fresh blow to Saudi forces inside the Kingdom’s territory. Snipers from the Yemeni army and the Ansarullah movement shot dead two Saudi soldiers in the Asir region. One of them was killed in Nashmah district and the other at a military observation site. Yemeni forces have launched retaliatory attacks against Saudi troops over the past several months, managing to inflict losses on the aggressors. In the latest development, Ansarullah fighters have also engaged in fierce fighting with forces loyal to the former regime. Sixteen Ansarullah fighters and 27 of the Saudi-backed regime forces were killed in clashes near the port city of Mukha and other parts of Ta’izz province.

Russian tit-for-tat

Russia’s presidential spokesman has defended Moscow’s decision to expel 755 of US embassy staff in response to last week’s sanctions by Washington. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was no point in delaying a response until the time when the US president signs the sanctions into law. Peskov said Washington needs to end its “political schizophrenia” toward Moscow so that things will change for the better. He added that it is up to the White House to decide which diplomatic staff it plans to cut off. On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he could take further measures in response to the US sanctions. He added that Moscow has waited long enough for improved ties with Washington, but that seems impossible in the near future. The US State Department has described the expulsion of embassy staff in Moscow as regrettable. It said the White House is assessing a response.

Turkey arrests

Turkish authorities have detained more than a thousand people over the past seven days for suspected links to opponents of the government and Daesh. The interior ministry said the detainees are suspected of having ties to US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, the Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK, and Daesh. Ankara blames Gulen for orchestrating the 2016 failed coup. Turkey has arrested some 50,000 people and sacked or suspended more than 100,000 others from their jobs after the military revolt. The Turkish government said the purge is justified by the gravity of the threats it is facing. International human rights organizations have criticized Turkey over the crackdown, demanding Ankara respect freedom of speech.

Iraq embassy attack

An attack on the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul has ended after three gunmen were killed by Afghan security forces. According to Iraq’s foreign ministry in Baghdad, the country’s chargé d'affaires has been rescued from the premises and moved to the Egyptian embassy. Iraq has also dispatched a special envoy to Afghanistan to investigate the attack claimed by Daesh terrorists. The incident took place when Afghan security forces got into a battle with the militants near the diplomatic mission building. The fighting followed two car bombs. Daesh is trying to gain a foothold in Afghanistan. But the attack on the Iraqi embassy is said to be part of its attempt to exact revenge on Iraq following the terror group’s recent defeats in the Arab country.

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