Beirut/ AFP A “minister” in Syria’s opposition government was among at least 12 people killed in a car bomb attack in the south of the country on Thursday, the body’s spokesman said. “Twelve people, including the (opposition) provisional government’s local administration minister, Yaacoub al-Ammar, were killed” and dozens more were wounded, Shadi al-Jundi said by telephone. The attack targeted …

  Aden / AFP An apparent US drone strike killed three suspected Al-Qaeda members on Thursday in Yemen, including a mid-ranking commander, security officials said. A missile destroyed a vehicle which the three suspects were using in the region of Sawmaa in central Baida province, the officials said. One security official said extremists had recently sought refugee in the vicinity …

  Baghdad / AFP Iraq announced on Thursday that its forces have recaptured a northern town from the IS group in an operation launched ahead of a push for the city of Mosul. Security forces began the operation on Tuesday to oust the IS group from Sharqat, a town near supply lines needed for the battle to retake second city …