Day: March 31, 2018

Staff writer, Al Arabiya EnglishSaturday, 31 March 2018 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants the US military to maintain a presence in Syria, he told TIME on Thursday during his multi-city tour of the United States. “We believe American troops should stay for at least the mid-term, if not the long-term,” he said. Prince Mohammed said the US military presence is the last effort stopping Iran from continuing to expand influence with regional allies. The presence of the troops, which have a remote base at Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, will also allow Washington to have a say in Syria’s future, …

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Emergency Security Council session convened after 16 Palestinians reportedly killed by IDF troops along Gaza border; top UN official warns violence may worsen By TOI STAFF and AGENCIES /03/31/2018 UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Friday for “an independent and transparent investigation” into deadly clashes in Gaza between Palestinians and Israeli troops as Security Council members urged restraint and a lowering of tensions on both sides. Kuwait requested the emergency Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza, where Palestinians said Israeli fire killed 16 people in the conflict’s deadliest single day since the 2014 Gaza war. After the meeting, a top UN …

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Friday’s violence was one of the first uses of the new technology, Border Police spokesman says By AGENCIES and TOI STAFF/ 03/31/2018 Israel on Friday used new technology to counter violent protests along the Gaza border, with Border Police using small drones to drop tear gas on Palestinian protesters. An AFP correspondent saw a drone release around 10 gas canisters as protesters on the border with Israel cursed the small craft. People quickly scattered when they saw the drones approaching. A police spokesman acknowledged operational deployment of the new technology. A number of people were injured by the containers, which fell from a height of …

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