分类： world

BERLIN – Thousands of demonstrators converged upon the German capital on Saturday in a powerful display of international solidarity with ongoing anti-government protests in Iran. The gathering at Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate coincided with the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 revolution, creating a symbolic counterpoint to the Islamic Republic’s official celebrations.

Berlin police authorities confirmed approximately 8,000 participants had assembled by 1300 GMT, though organizers had anticipated up to 20,000 registered attendees. The demonstration emerged in response to Iran’s widespread civil unrest that began in December over economic grievances before evolving into political protests met with severe governmental crackdowns.

Notable figures including former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo provided virtual addresses after weather-related flight cancellations prevented physical attendance. Event organizers reported substantial institutional backing from 344 organizations across Europe, including parliamentary groups, trade unions, and civil society organizations, alongside 312 Iranian associations operating throughout the continent.

Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), articulated the movement’s core principles during her address: ‘The message of the Iranian people and their Resistance has been and remains this: no appeasement, no war or foreign intervention, regime change and sovereignty of the republic of the people, by the people and their organised resistance.’

The demonstration represents the latest international response to Iran’s domestic unrest, which has witnessed the most severe suppression of dissent since the 1979 revolution. European governments have previously indicated potential sanctions against Iranian officials responsible for protest suppression.

A tragic minibus accident in northeastern Afghanistan resulted in 15 fatalities on Saturday, according to provincial police authorities. The vehicle veered off a damaged roadway in Badakhshan province and plummeted into a valley while en route to the regional capital Faizabad.

Police spokesperson details indicate the victims comprised six children, five women, and four men. Three individuals initially survived the crash with serious injuries but subsequently succumbed at a medical facility, contributing to the updated death toll.

Authorities have identified severe road deterioration as the primary cause of the catastrophe. This incident highlights the persistent transportation safety crisis in Afghanistan, where inadequate infrastructure, dangerous driving practices, and minimal regulatory enforcement regularly lead to fatal outcomes.

The Badakhshan tragedy echoes similar recent disasters, including an August collision in Herat province that killed 78 migrants returning from Iran, and an August rollover near Kabul that claimed 25 lives due to driver negligence. These recurring incidents underscore systemic transportation safety failures that continue to plague the nation following decades of conflict.

In a significant move to bolster Syria’s economic recovery, Saudi Arabia unveiled a comprehensive investment initiative on Saturday, February 7, 2026, targeting key sectors including aviation, energy, and telecommunications. The centerpiece of this announcement is the establishment of the Elaf Fund, which will deploy 7.5 billion Saudi riyals (approximately $2 billion) to modernize and develop two airports in the war-torn city of Aleppo through a multi-phase construction plan.

The investment package, announced by Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih, represents the largest foreign economic commitment since the United States lifted sanctions on Syria in December. The Elaf Fund will facilitate large-scale infrastructure projects with substantial participation from Saudi private-sector investors.

In a parallel aviation development, Saudi budget carrier flynas entered a strategic partnership with the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority to create a new joint venture airline, ‘flynas Syria’. The carrier will be majority-owned (51%) by Syrian entities, with flynas holding a 49% stake. Operations for the new low-cost airline are scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The agreements extend beyond aviation infrastructure. Syrian Investment Authority chief Talal al-Hilali confirmed additional projects focusing on telecommunications infrastructure and digital connectivity enhancement. Energy cooperation was also formalized through memoranda of understanding with Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and the Saudi Water Transmission Company, outlining a roadmap for water sector collaboration.

Syrian Energy Minister Mohamed al-Bashir detailed plans for a seawater desalination plant designed to transport fresh water from Syria’s coastal regions to the southern parts of the country. These developments follow Riyadh’s previous commitment of $6.4 billion across 47 deals involving over 100 Saudi companies in real estate, infrastructure, and telecoms.

The investments mark Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a primary economic supporter of Syria’s new leadership under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power in late 2024 following the ouster of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad. The economic initiatives are positioned as crucial to Syria’s reconstruction efforts after a devastating 14-year civil war that caused widespread destruction and mass displacement.

Pakistani authorities have apprehended four individuals allegedly involved in facilitating last week’s devastating suicide bombing at a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad. The attack during Friday prayers resulted in 31 fatalities and approximately 170 injuries, marking the deadliest assault on the capital since the 2008 Marriott hotel bombing.

Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti announced the arrests while providing updates on the investigation into the terrorist incident. Visual documentation from the blast site revealed horrific scenes of bloodied victims amid shattered glass and debris, with panicked worshippers scrambling for safety in the aftermath.

The Islamic State (Daesh) has formally claimed responsibility for the coordinated attack, which targeted religious minorities during their weekly prayers. International leaders have universally condemned the violence, expressing solidarity with Pakistan and offering condolences to the victims’ families.

Funeral ceremonies for those killed in the explosion were conducted on Saturday as security forces intensified counterterrorism operations throughout the region. The bombing has raised significant concerns about renewed terrorist capabilities in urban centers and has prompted nationwide security reassessments.

Pakistan observed a day of collective mourning on Saturday as thousands gathered to bury victims of a devastating suicide attack that struck a Shiite mosque during Friday prayers. The assault, which killed 31 worshippers and injured 169 others, represents the deadliest violence to hit Islamabad since the 2008 Marriott hotel bombing.

The Imam Bargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque, located on the capital’s outskirts, became the scene of tragedy when an attacker detonated explosives after being confronted at the entrance. Eyewitness accounts describe a brief gunfight between the bomber and volunteer security personnel preceding the detonation that filled the prayer hall with chaos and devastation.

Islamic State’s regional affiliate (Daesh) has claimed responsibility for the assault that left pools of blood across the red-carpeted prayer area. AFP journalists documented harrowing scenes at local hospitals where medics and bystanders rushed to assist victims with blood-soaked clothing, including several children among the casualties.

Security officials reported making multiple arrests in connection with the attack, including taking the bomber’s mother into custody from an upscale Islamabad neighborhood. Anonymous officials revealed the attacker originated from Peshawar in the violence-plagued Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with relatives having resided in Nowshera for several years.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the blast as a ‘heinous crime against humanity’ and vowed to bring perpetrators to justice. The attack occurs amid escalating insurgencies in Pakistan’s southern and northern border regions with Afghanistan, highlighting ongoing security challenges facing the nation.

This tragedy marks the second major security incident in Islamabad since November’s court complex bombing that killed 12 people, ending a nearly three-year period of relative calm in the capital. Pakistan’s Shiite minority, comprising 10-15% of the predominantly Sunni population, has frequently been targeted by extremist groups throughout the region.

Pakistani authorities have made significant breakthroughs in the investigation of Friday’s devastating suicide bombing that rocked the capital. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced the apprehension of four individuals suspected of facilitating the attack that claimed 32 lives and left over 160 injured at a Shia mosque in Islamabad’s Tarlai area.

Among those detained is an Afghan national identified as the alleged mastermind behind the assault. The operation to capture the suspects came at a cost—one counter-terrorism officer lost his life and three others sustained injuries during the raids.

The Islamic State group has formally claimed responsibility for targeting the mosque during Friday prayers, when the building was filled with worshippers. This represents the most lethal attack to hit Pakistan’s capital in more than ten years.

On Saturday, massive crowds gathered under tight security measures to mourn the victims. Funeral proceedings occurred with heightened military presence and police checkpoints throughout key areas of the city.

The human toll was painfully evident as families grappled with their losses. Ashiq Hussain, who lost his 21-year-old nephew Mujtaba Ali, expressed his family’s devastation to Reuters, simply stating they were ‘broken.’

The political response has been swift and multifaceted. While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed ‘deep grief’ and President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the targeting of innocent civilians as ‘a crime against humanity,’ the investigation has taken diplomatic turns. Minister Naqvi has accused India of funding the operation and providing targets—allegations firmly rejected by New Delhi as ‘baseless.’

Further complicating regional dynamics, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif suggested Afghan involvement, prompting sharp rebuke from the Taliban government in Kabul, which described the accusations as ‘regrettable’ and lacking ‘credible evidence.’

In response to the security breach, Naqvi has pledged substantial enhancements to Islamabad’s security apparatus, including the recruitment of thousands of new police officers and upgrades to the city’s smart security systems.

The bombing concludes a week of severe violence across Pakistan, including coordinated attacks in Balochistan province that killed 58 civilians—operations claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) rebel group. The military reports having killed over 200 militants in response to these assaults.

ISLAMABAD – The Islamic State (Daesh) has officially claimed responsibility for a catastrophic suicide bombing that tore through a Shiite mosque in Pakistan’s capital during Friday prayers, marking the deadliest attack in Islamabad in nearly two decades.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist communications, the terrorist organization admitted to orchestrating the assault that left 31 dead and 169 wounded. The attack represents the most severe violence to hit the Pakistani capital since the 2008 Marriott hotel bombing that claimed 60 lives.

Eyewitness accounts obtained by AFP reveal harrowing details of the assault at the Imam Bargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque. Muhammad Kazim, 52, a regular worshipper from Gilgit-Baltistan who now resides in Islamabad, described the moment of detonation: “During the first bow of the Namaz, we heard gunfire. While we were still in the bowing position, an explosion occurred.”

Kazim, who escaped physically unharmed but accompanied an injured friend to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, recounted the immediate aftermath: “The explosion was extremely powerful and caused numerous casualties. Debris fell from the roof, and windows were shattered. When I got outside, many bodies were scattered.”

Another witness, Imran Mahmood, provided critical details about the attack sequence, describing a violent confrontation between the assailants and volunteer security personnel. “The suicide attacker was trying to move forward, but one of our injured volunteers fired at him from behind, hitting him in the thigh,” Mahmood stated. “He fell but got up again. Another man accompanying him opened fire on our volunteers before the attacker jumped onto the gate and detonated the explosives.”

The tragedy has exposed significant security vulnerabilities at religious sites. Kazim noted that security had been consistently lax during his weeks attending Friday prayers at the mosque. “I have never seen proper security in place. Volunteers manage security on their own, but they lack the necessary equipment to do it effectively,” he revealed, adding that “Shiite mosques are always under threat, and the government should take this seriously.”

The response effort faced challenges according to witnesses, with Kazim noting that unhurt worshippers initially provided assistance using personal vehicles before ambulances arrived approximately 20-25 minutes after the explosion. The area was subsequently sealed off from public access as emergency services worked to manage the crisis.