JEDDAH: Iran faces international legal action by five countries whose citizens it killed when it shot down a passenger jet.
Foreign ministers from Ukraine, Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan and the UK will meet in London on Thursday to discuss compensation.
All 176 people on board were killed when the Ukrainian plane was hit by an Iranian surface-to-air missile after it took off from Tehran airport on Wednesday.
“We have created this group of foreign ministers from the grieving nations. On Jan. 16, we will meet in London to discuss the ways, including legal, we are following this up, how we are prosecuting them,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Monday.
Iran finally admitted on Saturday its military had shot down the plane in a “disastrous mistake.” Tehran said it was misidentified as a hostile target when it turned toward an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps base.
“This is nonsense,” Prystaiko said. “Our plane was recorded and confirmed within the international route that was given by the dispatchers.
“This is the Iranian government’s responsibility. We have to dig out who gave the order, who pushed the button, everything ... all these people should be punished.”
Meanwhile protesters in Iran denounced the ruling mullahs on a third day of demonstrations over the downing of the plane. Students shouted “Clerics get lost” and “Death to the dictator,” in chants aimed at Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran faces legal action over downed Ukraine jet
https://arab.news/zcfwc
Iran faces legal action over downed Ukraine jet
- Iran finally admitted on Saturday its military had shot down the plane in a “disastrous mistake”
Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
- Bomber kills soldier in Aleppo, detonates explosives injuring 2 others
ALEPPO, DAMASCUS: The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a Daesh plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo.
The ministry said in a statement that, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts and careful monitoring of Daesh cells in cooperation with partner agencies, it had received intelligence indicating plans for suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations in several provinces, particularly Aleppo, with a focus on churches and civilian gathering areas.
The ministry added that it took preemptive measures, including reinforcing security around churches, deploying mobile and fixed patrols, and setting up checkpoints across the city.
During operations at a checkpoint in Aleppo’s Bab Al-Faraj district, security forces intercepted a suspected Daesh member who opened fire. One internal security soldier was killed, and the attacker detonated explosives, injuring two others.
Daesh recently increased its attacks in Syria, and was blamed for an attack last month in Palmyra that killed three Americans.
On Dec. 13, two US soldiers and an American civilian were killed in an attack Washington blamed on a lone Daesh gunman in Palmyra.
In retaliation, American forces struck scores of Daesh targets in Syria.
Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of the group.
