BEIRUT: An ISIS militant currently in the custody of Lebanese authorities confessed Tuesday that he filmed the beheading of two Lebanese soldiers who were captured by the group, the National News Agency reported. Abdel-Rahman Bazerbashi, also known as ‘Baghdadi’s grandson,’ confessed to Military Investigative Judge Imad Zein during interrogations Tuesday that he was behind […]

  The military court of appeals on Tuesday accepted an appeal filed by State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr against the jail sentence that was handed to former minister Michel Samaha, state-run National News Agency reported. “The court accepted the appeal in form and content after discussing all the arguments mentioned in […]

BASSEM MROUE, ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — For decades, the mere mention of Tadmur Prison was enough to send chills down a Syrian’s spine.

The notorious facility in the desert of central Syria was where thousands of dissidents were reported to have been beaten, humiliated and systematically tortured for opposing the Assad family’s rule.

This weekend, it was demolished by the Islamic State group, which took over the site near the ancient town of Palmyra last month, bringing mixed emotions from many Syrians who wanted it to remain standing so future generations would know its horrors.

"They destroyed our memories, our catastrophe and the walls that we leaned on and told our stories to," said Ali Aboudehn, a Lebanese who spent four harrowing years in Tadmur. "They destroyed the land that absorbed our blood because of torture."

Armin Rosen

The Iraqi Army and its Shia militia allies are gearing up for one of the defining campaigns in the war against ISIS.

Troops are gathering outside of Ramadi, the city located 80 miles from Baghdad that ISIS took on May 17th. Ramadi is majority Sunni and could serve as an ISIS foothold for an assault on the greater Baghdad area.

A successful campaign to retake the city could send ISIS into retreat. But failure would only solidify the jihadists’ hold over a sizable population center at the doorstop of the Iraqi capital.

And the attempt to retake Ramadi looks like yet another disaster in waiting.

  BEIRUT: The U.S. State Department Friday urged its citizens to avoid all travel to Lebanon because of ongoing security concerns. In a statement, the State Department said that U.S. citizens living and working in Lebanon should understand that they accept the risks of remaining in the country and should carefully consider those risks. “In […]

  Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq stressed Saturday that the appointment of a new Internal Security Forces chief is one of his jurisdictions as Defense Minister Samir Moqbel refused to be threatened over the appointment of top-ranking security officials in state institutions. “Next week’s cabinet session will not tackle the appointments’" dilemma, Mashnouq said in comments […]

  BEIRUT: Hundreds of protestors marched in Beirut Saturday demanding greater protections for victims of domestic violence. Activists, civil society groups and media personnel rallied in front of the National Museum at 2 p.m. Saturday, marching towards the Justice Ministry. Relatives and friends of female victims of domestic abuse carried out posters that featured pictures […]

  The Internal Security Forces declared Friday that the third phase of the controversial traffic law will be implemented starting June. ISF said in its communique that the third phase will include “the implementation of the old traffic law according to the new imposed fines,” in addition to the first and second phases, until the […]

  BEIRUT: Any Lebanese inmates previously held in Palmyra Prison were moved by the Syrian authorities to another prison before the ISIS’s militants arrived and took over the Syrian city, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said Friday. “These claims are totally unfounded,” he said, when asked about reports that claimed the prisoners were […]

  The Lebanese army said on Friday that it has arrested scores of people suspected of entering Lebanon illegally and of belonging to terrorist organizations. The army command stated in a communique that the arrest of 47 people took place on Thursday during raids that military units carried out in the area of al-Masnaa in […]