In a major escalation of the crisis in Iraq and Syria, the Turkish military has moved ground forces across the border into northern Iraq to engage Kurdish rebel groups, including factions supported by the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State (IS) terror militia. In related news, the German foreign intelligence agency BND announced this week that it has evidence that IS has used chemical weapons in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Israeli officials are watching with alarm as Russian military units continue to be deployed in Syria. “There could be ramifications for us, certainly,” Ram Ben-Barak, director-general of Israel’s Intelligence Ministry, toldReuters. Read More
