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"The U.S. will hand over to Iraqi authorities nearly 50 Islamic State members who were transferred from Syria in recent days, two Iraqi intelligence officials said Thursday."

"Senators critical of President Donald Trump’s sudden military withdrawal from Syria are prepping a legislative response to the Turkish offensive there, but some colleagues worry America’s Kurdish partners may be dead by the time sanctions are imposed."

"U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria claim a Turkish air strike targeted a training camp housing a secretive coalition-trained commando force."

"Syria's most powerful Kurdish group is grappling for friends after its ally, the United States, abandoned it to an invasion by Turkey, whose warplanes, tanks and artillery are raining shells onto its stronghold in the north of the country."

The latest issue of The Combatting Terrorism Center’s ‘Sentinel’ is now online. Continue on for links to all the new articles.

"Humanitarian concerns are growing as Turkey's military incursion into northeastern Syria widens and desperate civilians flee on tractors, trucks and motorcycles, becoming the region’s newest refugees. International and local aid agencies fear that hundreds of thousands of people could be at risk, as Turkey launches airstrikes and pursues a ground offensive to clear once-U.S.-backed Kurdish forces from the border area."

"Heavy fighting is reported in northern Syria on the second day of a Turkish offensive into Kurdish-held areas. Turkey says it has seized a number of designated targets and killed dozens of Kurdish militants."

"Turkey pressed its military offensive against U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria on Thursday, shelling towns and bombing targets from the air in an operation that has forced thousands of people to flee their homes."

"Two British militants believed to be part of an Islamic State group that beheaded hostages and was known as “The Beatles” have been moved out of a detention center in Syria and are in American custody."

"Green light to Turkey to attack Kurdish fighters in Syria is seen as a flashing yellow by others."

"The US did not give Turkey a 'green light' for its offensive in northern Syria, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said .Mr Pompeo defended President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from the border area, which has sparked an outcry at home and abroad."

"U.S. lawmakers of both political parties on Wednesday continued to savage President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw troops from northeastern Syria, where U.S.-allied Kurds are under attack from Turkey."

As Turkish forces began a military operation in the north of Syria, Kurdish SDF leaders scrambled for possible support from the Syrian government in Damascus to help fend off a full-blown Turkish invasion. Kurdish leaders also called on Russia to act as an intermediary in possible talks with Damascus.

Turkey has begun a long-planned military operation in northeastern Syria to take out Kurdish forces branded by Ankara as terrorists, but viewed by much of the West as key partners in the fight against Islamic State.

"First came a destabilization campaign in Moldova, followed by the poisoning of an arms dealer in Bulgaria and then a thwarted coup in Montenegro. Last year, there was an attempt to assassinate a former Russian spy in Britain using a nerve agent. Though the operations bore the fingerprints of Russia’s intelligence services, authorities initially saw them as isolated, unconnected attacks."

"A Pakistani doctor who helped the US find al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden is appealing against his jail sentence."

"At the center of a recent Middle East exercise that saw the U.S. partner with 28 other nations for theater movement on land, air, sea and simulated cyber and electronic warfare threats, soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division put steel on target and practiced urban attacks with Jordanian counterparts."

"Turkey launched a military operation Wednesday against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria after U.S. forces withdrew from the area, with activists reporting airstrikes on a town on Syria’s northern border."

"As peace negotiations between the Taliban and U.S. unraveled, the U.S. dramatically ramped up its air campaign against militants in Afghanistan."

Turkish military officials say their troops are ready to launch a long-planned incursion into Syria to take out Kurdish forces branded by Ankara as terrorists, but viewed by much of the West as key partners in the fight against the Islamic State terror group.

Via 'Business Insider' - "Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Monday warned Turkey a bipartisan group of lawmakers would introduce sanctions against it and 'call for their suspension from NATO' if it attacks the Kurds in Syria."

Al-Qaida’s South Asia region chief, Asim Omar, was killed in a raid in southern Afghanistan last month, according to a statement released by Afghanistan’s intelligence agency.

"After U.S. pulls forces back from border, Kurds remain determined to resist Turkish incursion."

U.S. President Donald Trump sent out a stern but conflicting warning Monday saying that U.S. troops would step aside for an expected Turkish attack on the Kurds, but he threatened to destroy the Turkish economy if they went too far.

"The Pentagon fought back against President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to remove US troops from northeast Syria to allow a Turkish operation, a senior administration official told Al-Monitor on Monday."