Kelly Craft

Hundreds of Russian mercenaries fighting for Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar against the internationally recognized government were evacuated from combat zones south of the capital Tripoli, according to various reports.

The reports come after a series of setbacks for Haftar's year-long offensive to seize the capital from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).

The United States has announced an additional $108 million assistance to the Syrian people amid a new refugee influx towards the Turkish borders due to intensified military operations by the Syrian regime backed by Russia.

Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has met United States State Department's Special Envoy James Jeffrey and U.S. Ambassador to Ankara David Satterfield in the Turkish capital to discuss the ongoing conflict in Idlib where the Turkish army launched an offensive against the Syrian regime forces.

The United States will dispatch two senior diplomats for talks with Turkish officials and to pay a visit to the Turkish southern provinces of Hatay and Gaziantep on the Syrian border amid the ongoing conflict between Turkey and the Syrian regime over Idlib province.

The United States dispatched two senior diplomats for talks with Turkish officials and to pay a visit to the Turkish southern provinces of Hatay and Gaziantep on the Syrian border amid the ongoing conflict between Turkey and the Syrian regime over Idlib province.

The United Nations Security Council on Dec. 20  rejected rival resolutions that would continue the delivery of humanitarian aid across borders to more than 1 million Syrians every month in mainly rebel-held areas, leaving future deliveries in question as winter arrives.