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Iranian troops, allied Hezbollah fighters, and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s army have reportedly joined forces to launch a ground offensive, backed by Russian airstrikes, to seize key areas from rebels in Syria.

An American-backed Syrian Kurdish militia has joined forces with some Arab rebels and members of an Assyrian Christian group to launch an assault against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in Raqqa, the jihadist group’s de-facto capital in Syria, according to a statement obtained by Reuters.

The leader of the al-Nusra Front, Syria’s al-Qaeda offshoot, reportedly called on jihadists to intensify attacks on Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect of Shiite Islam in retaliation for Russia’s military intervention.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Defense has revamped its effort to assist so-called moderate Syrian rebels on the ground, shifting its focus away from training to providing them with weapons and other equipment to fight the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked that, instead of funding Syrian rebels, the U.S. should have just given the money to Russia. The U.S. halted its training program after many rebels defected and U.S. weapons landed in the hands of al-Qaeda.

An estimated 50,000 militants are operating in Afghanistan, the bulk of whom are Taliban terrorists, but there is also a rival 2,000 to 3,000-strong Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) presence that continues to grow, according to the Russian General staff chief.

Contents: Turkey blames ISIS for Saturday’s massacre as anti-government anger grows; Turkey is seen as increasingly unstable after massacre

Contents: Massive terror attack in Ankara called worst in Turkey’s history; Kurdish politicians in Turkey blame Erdogan government for Ankara terror attack

Contents: Palestinian-Israeli violence continues in Gaza and West Bank; Obama administration announces an abrupt change of policy in Syria; Obama administration may be forced into greater military role

A young Yazidi woman, known only as Noor, told CNN that Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) militants justified raping her because the action would make her Muslim.

The Russian Defense Ministry denied CNN reports that four missiles from a Russian ship in the Caspian Sea crashed into Iran instead of Syria.

Alexander Odoevsky, the second secretary at the Russian embassy in Canberra, Australia, asserted the world needs to respect Syrian President Bashar al-Assad because Syrians “elected” him in 2014.

Contents: Russia dramatically escalates Syria war launching cruise missiles from Caspian Sea; Russian Orthodox Church declares a ‘Holy War’ in Syria; Russia’s ‘Holy War’ in Syria declaration sparks calls for jihad; IMF warns of significant danger of global financial crash

The United States intelligence community is trying to get to the bottom of how the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group has been able to acquire a plethora of Toyota pick-up trucks and SUVs during its holy war in the Middle East.

Russian propaganda outlet Pravda implied in a report this week that U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) wants to fund arms for the Islamic State, to be used to shoot down Russian fighter jets.

Syrian state television is reporting Russian jets attacked the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in Palmyra only days after the radical Islamic group destroyed three ancient arches in the historic city.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told reporters Wednesday that Turkish military intelligence indicates that only 2 of the 57 Russian airstrikes in Syria so far have actually hit the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). The other 55 have hit other enemies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Two U.S. officials claim Russian fighter jets are stalking American predator drones over Syria.

Contents: Yemen’s Houthis sign letter agreeing to peace plan; Generational frustration grows among West Bank Palestinians; Russia Ministry of Defense videos found to be deceptive; The sleazy world of loan sharking — legally

American intelligence officials have evidence that Russia has moved ground weapons and troops into western Syria. The Pentagon has announced reinforcements for rebels opposing Bashar al-Assad in the region in light of Russia’s support for the dictator.

In addition to violating Turkey’s airspace at least twice on Monday, Russian aircraft flew alarmingly close to American aircraft engaged in anti-ISIS operations in Syria this week.

Residents in Şırnak, Turkey, are expressing outrage after a video and images surfaced on the Internet, showing Turkish soldiers dragging a Kurdish man through their streets.

Russian television station Rossiya 24 tailored their weather report to support Russia’s bombing of Syria, reporting that the weather was ideal for an airstrike campaign in the Mideast nation.

The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) executed 12 Christians, including a 12-year-old boy, after they refused to abandon their faith and convert to Islam. The murders occurred on August 28 outside of Aleppo.

The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) claimed its militants murdered a Japanese tourist in northern Bangladesh over the weekend. The murder comes only five days after the radical Islamic group claimed responsibility for the murder of an Italian in Dhaka.

Russian “volunteers” fighting in Ukraine might travel to Syria to fight with President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. However, the Kremlin insists the government has no plans to deploy ground troops.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) refuses to explicitly say whether or not American military troops are planning to assist and protect U.S.-armed and trained Syrian rebels who come under attack by Russia.

Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, has been largely cut off from the rest of the world since the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) captured it in June 2014. But there are some citizens who have managed to reveal the terrible conditions they suffer under the vicious radical Islamic group.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested all Western reporters ask the Russian Defense Ministry–instead of the Pentagon–for information about their airstrikes in Syria.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov told Kremlin propaganda outlet LifeNews his troops are ready to help Russian troops in Syria against radical Islamic groups.

One of the high-ranking Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) commanders in Syria is from the United States, a Yazidi slave told MailOnline, referring to her former captor.

Contents: Mahmoud Abbas’s United Nations ‘bombshell’ something of a dud; Russia humiliates US again as it begins striking Syria

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters today that the Pentagon was still willing to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Syria, even after Russia reportedly ordered the U.S. out of the Middle Eastern country.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must go, siding with President Obama and opposing the official stance of Russia and Iran.

Russia began airstrikes in Syria allegedly against “terrorists” today, but an unnamed U.S. official told Reuters that the planes are not targeting areas held by the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).

Many of the estimated 250 Americans who have traveled overseas since 2011 to join or try to join the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) have been able to reenter the United States without being arrested or monitored, reveals a report issued by the House Homeland Security Committee.