These are the headlines we are tracking for you in this episode of On the News Line:
Shia killings in Afghanistan
Concerns are growing over what appears to be an alarming spread of Shia killings in Afghanistan. This past Friday, more than 40 Shia Muslims were killed in the country’s capital Kabul after assailants attacked a mosque packed with worshippers. The atrocity also left tens of people wounded was claimed by Daesh terrorists. This was the second attack by Daesh on a Shia mosque in less than two months. At least 32 were killed in a similar incident in the western province of Herat in late July. The killings followed a warning by the terrorist group to all Shias in Afghanistan, saying that was preparing to attack their places of worship. Criticisms are now emerging that the Afghan government has done little to protect Shias against Daesh attacks.
Israel snubbed by Russia on Iran
The Israeli Prime Minister has recently been engaged in a flurry of political activity to rally the support of other countries to pile up the pressure on Iran over its role in anti-terror operations in Iraq and Syria. In a desperate attempt, Benjamin Netanyahu recently traveled to Russia to warn about what he called Iran’s growing influence in Syria and the wider Middle East. To Netanyau’s disappointment, the Russian ambassador to the UN dismissed his accusations against Iran, even hailing the Islamic Republic’s role in ending the years-long conflict in Syria. Israel’s old way of coming up with threadbare accusations comes as the regime is widely believed to be among the backers of terrorists in Syria. Netanyahu has at times voiced support for anti-Damascus terrorists who even receive medical treatments in a field hospital in the occupied Golan Heights.