Qatar Says Fight Against Islamic State Will Fail If Assad Stays

Islamic State fighters have exploited the chaos of Syria’s three-year-old civil war, which pits Assad and his allies against mainly Sunni Muslim rebels and Islamist militants.

US, Saudi Arabia, UAE Strike Modular Oil Refineries In Syria

One U.S. official told Reuters that such refineries could produce about $2 million a day in oil revenue.

UAE, Saudi, Bahrain Confirm Role In Strikes Against Islamic State In Syria

A sources said said the Saudis had sent four F-16 fighter jets, the UAE contributed four warplanes, Bahrain two and Qatar a Mirage jet.

Obama Pledges To Fight, Build Coalition Islamic State In Syria

Obama said the strength of the coalition that took part in Tuesday’s air campaign shows the fight against such militants is not America’s alone.

Bahrain, GCC Send Air Force To Attack “Terrorist” Sites

The statement was the first comment from a GCC state since the United States launched air and missile strikes in Syria for the first time on Tuesday.

Iran’s Rouhani Says Ties With Saudis Deserve To Be Warmer

Rouhani said that he had no plans to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama while in New York this week.

Obama To Address Airstrikes Against Islamic State -White House official

A White House official, speaking on background, said Obama will address the latest strategy to counter Islamic State in Syria.

Saudi And UAE Join US In Launching First Strikes In Syria

The United States has been building a coalition to combat Islamic State, which has seized large areas in Iraq and Syria.

Bahrain Says Parties Find Common Ground But Shi’ites Say Demands Not Met

Bahrain has been shaken by persistent unrest since 2011.

Saudi Fighter With Islamic State Urges Fighters To Wage Jihad In Kingdom

The man called on his countrymen to attack not only the ruling family and Westerners in Saudi Arabia, but also the Kingdom’s senior Muslim clergy.

Emir Assures Merkel Qatar Doesn’t Fund Extremists In Syria, Iraq

Angela Merkel said Al Thani had assured her Qatar’s security was also at stake in the fight against the Islamic State and that she had “no reason not to believe what the emir said”.

German Chancellor Merkel Sees Closer Energy Cooperation With Qatar

Qatari ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is currently visiting Berlin.

Saudi Court Sentences Two To Death, Jails 13 Over Attack

Saudi Arabia has arrested thousands of suspected militants since al Qaeda supporters waged a wave of attacks on residential compounds for foreign workers and on Saudi government facilities.

Qatar Regulates Charities After Western Concern Over Islamic State Funding

Qatar’s ruler approved a law to regulate charity organisations involved in politics, as well as those that sent money abroad or received foreign financing.

Islamic State Supporter Warns Of Attacks Against U.S – SITE

The posting on the Minbar Jihadi Media website condemned “intervention in the affairs of other peoples” and said it would trigger an equal response, SITE said.

Several Arab Countries Offer To Join Air Campaign On Islamic State, Says US

US officials declined to identify which Arab countries made the offers in joining the emerging coalition against the jihadists.

Libyan PM Accuses Qatar Of Sending Planes With Weapons To Tripoli

Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni said that he will consider breaking off relations with Qatar if it continued to interfere in Libya’s internal affairs.

Qatar-Based Cleric Criticises US Role Against Islamic State

Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian-born cleric based in Doha, said Washington was acting in its own interests.

Prominent Muslim Brotherhood Figures To Leave Qatar

Qatar and Turkey were the only regional countries to back the Brotherhood after Egypt’s army toppled Mohamed Mursi last year following mass protests against his rule.

Australia Commits Military Forces To Fight Islamic State

A 600-strong force will be deployed to the UAE and be based at a U.S. headquarters, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

Sisi Says Coalition Must Battle Islamic State And Others

Sisi said any international coalition to combat terrorism “should be comprehensive and not exclusively target a specific organisation or eradicate a certain terrorist hotspot”.

Islamic State Video Purports To Show Beheading Of UK Hostage David Haines

Haines, a 44-year-old father of two from Perth, Scotland, was kidnapped last year while working for the French agency ACTED.

UN Rapporteur Criticises Oman Over Right To Assembly

The special rapporteur said that though Oman’s law guarantees the right to peaceful assembly within its limits, it is quite restrictive.

U.S. Wins Arab Support For Syria/Iraq Military Campaign

The Arab states agreed in a communique to do more to stop the flow of funds and fighters to Islamic State and help rebuild communities “brutalised” by the group.

Kerry Urges Arabs To Back Campaign Against Islamic State

In a strong measure of support, Saudi Arabia has agreed to host training camps for moderate Syrian rebels.

Saudi To Host Training Of Moderate Syria Rebels As Part of U.S. Strategy Against IS

U.S. officials declined to specify where on Saudi territory the rebels would be trained.

Saudi Arabia To Host Talks With US, Regional Allies On Thursday

The meeting will address the issue of terrorism and the rise of extremist organisations in the region.

Arab Bank Chairman Testifies In US Court, Denies Funding Hamas

A lawsuit, first filed 10 years ago, accuses the Jordan-based bank of knowingly maintaining accounts for operatives of the militant Islamist group.

Bahrain’s GFH Acquires Properties In The US

The acquired portfolio will consist of two multi-family residential properties in Houston and one in Atlanta, GFH said.

Saudi Jails Six For Going Abroad To Fight

In February, King Abdullah decreed prison terms of three to 20 years for travelling abroad to fight.