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Armed Militia Announces Responsibility for Death of US Citizen in Iraq

Zayed Hospital, where US citizen Stephen Troll died after the attack (AP)
Zayed Hospital, where US citizen Stephen Troll died after the attack (AP)
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Armed Militia Announces Responsibility for Death of US Citizen in Iraq

Zayed Hospital, where US citizen Stephen Troll died after the attack (AP)
Zayed Hospital, where US citizen Stephen Troll died after the attack (AP)

An armed militia calling itself Ashab al-Kahf claimed responsibility for killing the US citizen, Stephen Troll, in Baghdad on Monday evening.

The group announced in a statement that Troll was killed in retaliation for the killing of the Quds Force commander, Qasem Soleimani, and the commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

However, the investigation committee did not publish the results of its probe into the incident to determine whether it was a criminal or a terrorist attack carried out by an armed group.

Unnamed sources said that if investigations revealed it was a terrorist attack, it would signal the beginning of a dispute with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, mainly that Washington has shown full support to his government.

The Media Cell of the Joint Operations Command said that the Prime Minister had directed the Minister of Interior, Abdul Amir al-Shammari, to form a committee of specialized agencies to investigate the incident.

-Washington is watching

Local media reported that gunmen had shot the US citizen while driving through the Karrada neighborhood and that he died in Zayed Hospital.

Reuters news agency quoted a source in the Iraqi police as saying: "Our initial investigation and eyewitnesses showed that armed men were trying to kidnap the American citizen.”

He said the victim was carrying an identity card that showed he worked as an English language teacher, while sources said that he worked in an aid agency.

The US State Department confirmed that a US citizen has died in Baghdad, one day after police in Iraq said an American was killed in a failed kidnapping attempt.

On Tuesday, one day after Iraqi police announced the death of Troll, the US State Department confirmed without elaborating that Stephen Troll died in Baghdad.

"We are closely monitoring the investigations of local authorities into the cause of the death,” they said.

Later, the US ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski, announced that her country was looking forward to a more significant partnership with the government of Sudani.

Romanowski was then received by Iraqi Minister of Finance Taif Sami. She emphasized the US support for Iraq and its peoples, and the need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

For her part, Sami praised the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries.

-Real Estate in the Green Zone

Meanwhile, sources said that Sudani seems confident of the steps he is taking or intends to take against corruption.

Observers fear that his steps could diverge from the political forces supporting him if he tries to counter their influence or limit their financial or political control.

Sudani hinted at addressing the issue of state real estate in the fortified Green Zone, which includes the government palace, parliament, and many state institutions and embassies, namely the US embassy.

- Ashab al-Kahf

The armed group "Ashab al-Kahf" remained mysterious since it first appeared in 2019, and although it is a front for one of the influential Shiite factions, analysts indicate that it is a "soldier" that implements the agenda of all "resistance" parties in the country.

Ashab al-Kahf claimed responsibility for several violent attacks with explosive devices on convoys since March 2020 and at least one missile attack on the US Embassy.

The factions have generally intensified their attacks since the assassination of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, but most of the attacks focus on the logistical support convoys of the US forces.

Washington Institute for Studies claimed there was evidence connecting the group to Asaib Ahl al-Haq, based on an analysis of social media posts and accounts promoting its activities.

Ashab al-Kahf's attacks declined after September 2020, when the group announced on Twitter and Telegram that it "has been betrayed" and felt very let down by the rest of the factions.

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Arab World

Israel Arrests 175 Activists from Gaza Flotilla Far from its Waters

Global Sumud Flotilla vessels prepare to depart for Gaza at the port of Barcelona, northeastern Spain, 12 April 2026. EPA/MARTA PEREZ
Global Sumud Flotilla vessels prepare to depart for Gaza at the port of Barcelona, northeastern Spain, 12 April 2026. EPA/MARTA PEREZ
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Israel Arrests 175 Activists from Gaza Flotilla Far from its Waters

Global Sumud Flotilla vessels prepare to depart for Gaza at the port of Barcelona, northeastern Spain, 12 April 2026. EPA/MARTA PEREZ
Global Sumud Flotilla vessels prepare to depart for Gaza at the port of Barcelona, northeastern Spain, 12 April 2026. EPA/MARTA PEREZ

Israel's army arrested around 175 activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters off Greece, the Israeli foreign ministry and the flotilla's organizers said Thursday.

"Approximately 175 activists from more than 20 boats of the condom flotilla are now making their way peacefully to Israel," the ministry said in a statement, using its latest epithet to poke fun at the flotilla after prophylactics were found in a previous convoy.

The statement included a video of the activists aboard an Israeli navy ship.

The organizers of the latest flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists seeking to break Israel's blockade on Gaza had announced shortly beforehand that their boats were surrounded by Israeli military ships while off the coast of the Greek island of Crete.

"At the time of publishing this statement (06:30 Paris time, 04:30 GMT), at least 22 of the flotilla's 58 boats have been stormed by Israeli forces in complete violation of international law," AFP quoted the Global Sumud Flotilla as saying in a statement.

The flotilla set sail in recent weeks from Marseille in France, Barcelona in Spain and Syracuse in Italy.

Overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, the flotilla said its boats had been "illegally surrounded" by Israeli vessels.

The remaining boats in the flotilla are currently near Crete, according to the organization’s live tracking on its website.

"Our boats were approached by military speedboats, self-identified as 'Israel', pointing lasers and semi-automatic assault weapons ordering participants to the front of the boats and to get on their hands and knees," the organization had said.

"Boat communications are being jammed and a SOS was issued."

In the summer and autumn of 2025, a first voyage by the Global Sumud Flotilla across the Mediterranean towards Gaza drew worldwide attention.

The boats in that flotilla were intercepted by Israel off the coasts of Egypt and the Gaza Strip in early October.

The Israeli operation, described as illegal by the organizers and by Amnesty International, drew international condemnation.

Crew members, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, were arrested and then expelled by Israel.

Israel controls all entry points to Gaza, and has been accused by the United Nations and foreign NGOs of strangling the flow of goods into the territory, causing shortages since the start of the war in October 2023.

The Gaza Strip, governed by Hamas, has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007, and the war triggered by the Palestinian movement's attack on Israel has led to severe shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel.

A fragile ceasefire was reached last October after two years of devastating conflict.

Arab World

Saudi Arabia Stresses Importance of Strengthening Lebanon’s Stability

Patriarch al-Rahi receives Ambassador Bukhari in Bkerke (NNA)
Patriarch al-Rahi receives Ambassador Bukhari in Bkerke (NNA)
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Saudi Arabia Stresses Importance of Strengthening Lebanon’s Stability

Patriarch al-Rahi receives Ambassador Bukhari in Bkerke (NNA)
Patriarch al-Rahi receives Ambassador Bukhari in Bkerke (NNA)

A meeting between Maronite Patriarch Beshara Boutros al-Rahi and Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari in Bkerke underscored the priority of consolidating stability in Lebanon by supporting the state and its institutions and fostering a climate of national unity.

A statement from the Maronite Patriarchate said the talks focused on “ways to strengthen stability in Lebanon and support the path of the state and its institutions.”

Bukhari conveyed greetings from the Saudi leadership and praised the patriarch’s “national and spiritual role,” stressing that the current phase requires wise leadership capable of reinforcing stability and supporting Lebanon’s constitutional authorities as they confront ongoing challenges.

He added that “building people comes before building infrastructure, and that fostering loyalty to the nation remains the fundamental pillar of any future recovery.”

The discussion also addressed Lebanon’s situation from a historical and intellectual perspective, drawing on the works of historians such as Philippe Hitti, Kamal Salibi and Asad Rustom.

The meeting’s participants raised the notion that Lebanon’s various communities may have reached a stage of “symbolic exhaustion” from recurring crises, potentially opening the door to renewed emphasis on shared national ground rather than division.

They stressed that Lebanon’s history, marked by repeated cycles, calls for drawing lessons to avoid future crises and move toward a new phase centered on national cohesion.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of supporting dialogue initiatives, particularly interfaith and national gatherings, given their role in reinforcing stability and promoting unity among Lebanon’s diverse communities.

Rahi stressed the importance of upholding national principles and safeguarding the dignity and future of the Lebanese people.

He expressed appreciation for efforts to support Lebanon and its stability, saying the current phase “requires collective awareness and national responsibility to protect the country and rebuild it on solid foundations.”

Arab World

Lebanon: Disagreements Over Israel Talks Strain Aoun-Berri Ties

Israeli soldiers operate in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Israeli soldiers operate in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Lebanon: Disagreements Over Israel Talks Strain Aoun-Berri Ties

Israeli soldiers operate in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Israeli soldiers operate in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Disagreements between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri over negotiations with Israel have come to the surface as violence has continued despite a recently extended ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

Aoun said Wednesday that he had coordinated all steps with Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. But Berri responded sharply, saying the president’s remarks were “inaccurate, if not otherwise.”

Aoun had said Israel must “understand that it must first fully implement the ceasefire before moving on to negotiations,” stressing that every step he had taken regarding talks “was coordinated and consulted on with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, contrary to what is being reported in the media.”

Berri quickly pushed back in a statement: “With all due respect to the presidency and to what His Excellency the president is saying, the remarks attributed to him ... are inaccurate, if not otherwise - particularly regarding the November 2024 arrangement and the issue of negotiations.”

Aoun also said he was “making every possible effort to reach a solution far from violence and the bloodshed in the South,” adding that such a solution could be achieved through negotiations, “which are war without bloodshed.”

Amid mounting criticism over the decision to pursue direct negotiations with Israel, Aoun reiterated: “In every step I have taken, I was in coordination and consultation with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, contrary to what is being reported in the media.”

He added: “As for the criticism that Lebanon, through the US statement issued after the trilateral talks in Washington, agreed to grant Israel the freedom to continue its attacks on Lebanon, I say that this wording appeared in a statement issued by the US State Department. It is the same text adopted in November 2024 and approved by all parties. It is a statement, not an agreement, because an agreement comes after negotiations are concluded.”

The Lebanese president stressed that if Israel believes it can achieve security through violations and the destruction of border villages, it is mistaken, noting that it has tried this approach before without success.

“The only thing that can protect the borders is when the Lebanese state, in full strength, is present throughout the entire south, up to the international border,” he underlined.

“Israel must definitively understand that the only path to security is through negotiations, but it must first fully implement the ceasefire before moving to negotiations.”

Aoun acknowledged “many difficulties” facing efforts to reach that goal, saying Lebanon is working to mitigate the consequences of Israeli attacks through intensive diplomatic contacts.

“It is unacceptable for Israeli attacks to continue after the ceasefire has been declared,” he said. “We are now awaiting the United States to set a date to begin negotiations. All European Union countries, along with Arab states, have supported our choice of negotiations. There is also broad consensus among the Lebanese people, especially in the south, on the need to end the war,” he added.

The president highlighted a positive development, saying that the Lebanon file is now on the desk of US President Donald Trump. “He holds a special regard for Lebanon and spoke highly, in a very moving way, about Lebanon and its people during our phone call. This is an opportunity we must seize to guide our country toward safety and peace,” Aoun said.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2, and Israeli and Lebanese representatives have since met twice in Washington, the first such meetings in decades, for discussions that Hezbollah has categorically rejected.

After the first talks, Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire that began on April 17, and a three-week extension after the second round.

Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon, particularly the south, despite the truce, and has carried out demolitions of border villages inside a "Yellow Line" it established in southern Lebanon.

It said on Wednesday that it struck "approximately 20 command centers and military structures used by Hezbollah.”