NEWS IN BRIEF

50 militants killed over past 3 days in Afghanistan

Xinhua, Taluqan

Up to 50 militants have been killed and more than three dozen others sustained injuries over the past three days as government forces from the ground and air pounded Taliban positions in Baharak district of Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province, provincial government spokesman Mohammad Jawad Hajari said Saturday.

“Baharak district has been cleared of the armed insurgents and the Taliban rebels pose no threats to the provincial capital Taluqan city currently,” Hajari told Xinhua.

 

9 jihadists killed in Russia strikes on Idlib

AFP, Beirut

Nine jihadists were killed yesterday in Russian airstrikes on Syria’s war-torn province of Idlib, a monitoring group said.

“Russian strikes this morning targeted the Hurras al-Deen group and Ansar al-Tahwid in eastern Idlib... killing nine jihadists,” said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, adding eight others were wounded.

Six of the dead were members of the Al-Qaeda linked Hurras al-Deen, a group which is also targeted by the US-led coalition.

 

Microsoft says Iran hackers targeted US presidential campaign

AFP, San Francisco

Microsoft on Friday said a hacker group linked to Iran unleashed cyber attacks on US journalists, government officials and accounts associated with a US presidential campaign.

Only four accounts were compromised as a result of the “significant cyber activity of the threat group,” Tom Burt, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of computer security and trust, said in an online post.

He did not identify which presidential candidate’s campaign was in the crosshairs of hackers, nor whose accounts were breached.

 

NEWS IN BRIEF

50 militants killed over past 3 days in Afghanistan Xinhua, Taluqan Up to 50 militants have been killed and more than three dozen others sustained injuries over the past three days as government forces from the ground and air pounded Taliban positions in Baharak district of Afghanistans northern Takhar province, provincial government spokesman Mohammad Jawad Hajari said Saturday. Baharak district has been cleared of the armed insurgents and the Taliban rebels pose no threats to the provincial capital Taluqan city currently, Hajari told Xinhua. 9 jihadists killed in Russia strikes on Idlib AFP, Beirut Nine jihadists were killed yesterday in Russian airstrikes on Syrias war-torn province of Idlib, a monitoring group said. Russian strikes this morning targeted the Hurras al-Deen group and Ansar al-Tahwid in eastern Idlib... killing nine jihadists, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, adding eight others were wounded. Six of the dead were members of the Al-Qaeda linked Hurras al-Deen, a group which is also targeted by the US-led coalition. Microsoft says Iran hackers targeted US presidential campaign AFP, San Francisco Microsoft on Friday said a hacker group linked to Iran unleashed cyber attacks on US journalists, government officials and accounts associated with a US presidential campaign. Only four accounts were compromised as a result of the significant cyber activity of the threat group, Tom Burt, Microsofts corporate vice president of computer security and trust, said in an online post. He did not identify which presidential candidates campaign was in the crosshairs of hackers, nor whose accounts were breached.