180 dead from Sudan fighting buried unidentified: Red Crescent

KHARTOUM: Persistent fighting in Sudan’s twin flashpoints of Khartoum and Darfur has forced volunteers to bury 180 bodies recovered from combat zones without identification, the Sudanese Red Crescent said.
Since fighting between Sudan’s warring generals erupted on April 15, volunteers have buried 102 unidentified bodies in the capital’s Al-Shegilab cemetery and 78 more in cemeteries in Darfur, the Red Crescent said in a statement Friday.



Iraq and Syria to reopen Semalka border crossing after 3 week closure

LONDON: The Semalka Border Crossing between Iraq and Syria is set to reopen on Monday after being closed since May, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday.
The Semalka administration announced that work will be resumed at the border crossing for humanitarian organizations and specific personnel only and will operate three days a week, as per the old mechanism, including Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.



France urges Lebanon to lift immunity of envoy accused of rape, violence

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s ambassador to France is being investigated over rape and assault allegations following complaints by two former embassy employees, with French authorities requesting the lifting of his diplomatic immunity.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry claimed on Saturday that it did not receive any French request to lift immunity for Rami Adwan, 48.



Iran releases 1 Danish, 2 Austrian citizens in operation involving Oman, Belgium

BERLIN: Iran has released one Danish and two Austrian citizens, the European countries said Friday, thanking Oman and Belgium for their help in getting the trio freed.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said he was “very relieved” that Kamran Ghaderi and Massud Mossaheb were being brought home after “years of arduous imprisonment in Iran.”



NATO chief to visit Turkiye for Erdogan inauguration

BRUSSELS: NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will visit Turkiye at the weekend to attend the inauguration of re-elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and hold talks with him, the alliance said Friday.
The trip comes as pressure builds on Erdogan to drop his opposition to Sweden joining NATO.
Stoltenberg on Thursday said during a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Norway that he would soon visit Ankara to work toward Sweden joining “as early as possible,” after speaking with Erdogan by phone earlier this week.