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Egypt, Iraq Affirm Keenness to Restore Security in the Region

Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi during his meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Cairo on Wednesday (Photo courtesy of Egyptian Presidency)
Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi during his meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Cairo on Wednesday (Photo courtesy of Egyptian Presidency)
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Egypt, Iraq Affirm Keenness to Restore Security in the Region

Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi during his meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Cairo on Wednesday (Photo courtesy of Egyptian Presidency)
Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi during his meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Cairo on Wednesday (Photo courtesy of Egyptian Presidency)

Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi received on Wednesday Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Cairo.

The meeting was attended by Major General Abbas Kamel, head of the General Intelligence Service, and the Iraqi Ambassador to Cairo, Ahmed al-Dulaimi.

The two officials discussed bilateral ties, as well as ways to boost areas of economic, commercial and investment cooperation, in addition to bolstering the tripartite cooperation with Jordan.

Both leaders agreed to “continue consultations to restore security and stability in the region,” especially amid the ongoing challenges on the political and security levels.

According to presidential spokesperson Bassam Rady, Sisi expressed Egypt's pride in the distinguished historic relations with Iraq, and his keenness to strengthen the latter's Arab national role.

The Egyptian President stressed the importance of providing full support to Iraqis in all fields, whether on the bilateral level or through the tripartite cooperation mechanism, Rady added.

The Iraqi FM expressed Baghdad's keenness to hold "intensive coordination and consultation" with Cairo on all levels, in light of the strong ties, and the central role of Egypt in the region.

Hussein also conveyed a message from Iraqi President Barham Salih to his Egyptian counterpart on bilateral matters.

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UN Refugee Chief Says Airstrikes in Lebanon Have Violated Humanitarian Law

A general view shows damage in the aftermath of Israeli strikes in Choueifat, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon, October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer
A general view shows damage in the aftermath of Israeli strikes in Choueifat, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon, October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer
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UN Refugee Chief Says Airstrikes in Lebanon Have Violated Humanitarian Law

A general view shows damage in the aftermath of Israeli strikes in Choueifat, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon, October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer
A general view shows damage in the aftermath of Israeli strikes in Choueifat, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon, October 6, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer

The United Nations' refugee chief Filippo Grandi said on Sunday that airstrikes in Lebanon had violated international humanitarian law by hitting civilian infrastructure and killing civilians, in reference to Israel's bombardment of the country.

"Unfortunately, many instances of violations of international humanitarian law in the way the airstrikes are conducted that have destroyed or damaged civilian infrastructure, have killed civilians, have impacted humanitarian operations," he told media in Beirut, Reuters reported.

Grandi was in Lebanon as it struggles to cope with the displacement of more than 1.2 million people as a result of an expanded Israeli air and ground operation.

Fighting had previously been mostly limited to the Israel-Lebanon border area, in parallel to Israel's war in Gaza against Palestinian group Hamas.

Grandi said all parties to the conflict and those with influence on them should "stop this carnage that is happening both in Gaza and in Lebanon today".

More than 2,000 people have been killed and nearly 10,000 wounded in Lebanon in nearly a year of fighting, most in the past two weeks, the Lebanese health ministry says. Israel says around 50 civilians and soldiers have been killed.

Israel says it targets military capabilities and takes steps to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians, while Lebanese authorities say civilians have been targeted.

Israel accuses both Hezbollah and Hamas of hiding among civilians, which they deny.

Grandi said the World Health Organization briefed him "about egregious violations of IHL in respect of health facilities in particular that have been impacted in various locations of Lebanon", using an acronym for international humanitarian law.

Attacks on civilian homes may also be violations, though the matter requires further assessment, he said.

The fighting has led some 220,000 people to cross the Lebanese border with Syria, 70% of whom are Syrians and 30% Lebanese, Grandi said, saying these were conservative estimates.

Israel's bombardment of the main border crossing with Syria at Masnaa on Friday was "a huge obstacle", to those flows of people continuing, he said.

Many of the Syrians leaving Lebanon had sought refuge and fled war and a security crackdown after the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

Now was an opportunity for the Syrian government to show that returnees' "safety and ability to go back to their homes or wherever they need to go is respected", Grandi said.