Following the expulsion of ISIS from the city of Albu Kamal in Deir Ezzor governorate, the town on the Syrian-Iraq border has seen a growing presence of Iranian militias, who have imposed their full control there due to its vital geographical location on the road used by Iran’s forces in travelling to and from Syria via Iraq.

For the past few months, Russia has been trying to expand its regional sphere of influence in the Syrian-Iraqi border area at the expense of the Iranian militias, in line with Russia's plan to extend its control over strategic areas in Syria.

One of Bashar al-Assad’s personal bodyguards has reportedly claimed refugee status in Germany, despite being involved in perpetrating heinous crimes against Syrian dissidents, even arresting and handing over members of his own family to Assad's forces to be punished for their participation in anti-regime demonstrations.

Prosecutors in Belarus are reportedly considering whether to bring terrorism charges against several protesters for crimes allegedly committed during the recent demonstrations against the country's Kremlin-backed dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

During an appearance on the state-owned Belarus 1 channel on Wednesday, Belarusian Prosecutor General Andrey Shved said, "There is a war going on, which over the past few weeks, has taken on radical forms - extremely radical."

Russia has quit a United Nations arrangement that aimed to protect hospitals and humanitarian aid deliveries in Syria from being hit by the warring parties, according to a UN note to aid groups seen on Thursday.

The Russian move comes after an internal UN inquiry in April found it was “highly probable” that the Syrian regime or its allies carried out attacks on three healthcare facilities, a school and a refuge for children in northwest Syria last year.

Iraqi security forces raided a headquarters belonging to an Iran-backed militia south of Baghdad late on Thursday, seized rockets and detained three leaders of the group at the site, two Iraqi government officials said.

The officials said the militia group targeted was Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group that U.S. officials have accused of firing rockets at bases hosting U.S. troops and other facilities in Iraq. Kataib Hezbollah is also among the Iranian-backed militias backing Assad in Syria.

The continuing investigative and monitoring operations to track war criminals carried out by Zaman al-Wasl have revealed that one of the most prominent and corrupt regime operatives in Salmiya in Hama governorate, identified as Hussein Abu Habla, who was involved in numerous crimes against humanity is now a resident in the Belgian capital, Brussels, and seems set to receive Belgian citizenship.

The political bodies representing ten Syrian governorates have formed a collective union, called the ‘Union of Political Authorities for the Syrian Governorates’, with the head of the new body telling Syria Call reporting that it will work to achieve the objectives of the Syrian revolution.