Vladimir Putin: Russia can make powerful Syria comeback within hours

Vladimir Putin said on 17 March that Russias military success in Syria had allowed him to order a partial draw down of forces, but stressed the Kremlin could scale up its presence again within hours and would continue to carry out air strikes there. The Russian president said the smaller strike force he had left behind in his closest Middle East ally was big enough to help forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad keep advancing. Mar 18, 2016

Isis: John Kerry says Daesh has committed genocide

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday declared that violence by Islamic State (Isis) against religious minorities was genocide, saying the United States would do everything it could to hold the militant group accountable. Mar 17, 2016

Video of Japanese Nusra Front hostage Jumpei Yasuda surfaces

A video surfaced on 17 March, appearing to show a missing Japanese journalist, reportedly held by an al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, reading a message to his family and country. Hello, I am Jumpet Yasuda. Today is my birthday, 16 March, the bearded man, who appears to be the Japanese freelance journalist of that name, says on the video, posted on Facebook. Mar 17, 2016