An aerial view of Deraa province, Syria, in this image from a video obtained on July 6, 2018. Reuters
An aerial view of Deraa province, Syria, in this image from a video obtained on July 6, 2018. Reuters

Air strikes and clashes hit ISIS pocket in south Syria, monitor says



Russian air strikes and fierce clashes on Wednesday rocked a sliver of territory in southwestern Syria held by ISIS, a war monitor said.

Much of the southern province of Deraa had been quiet since Friday, when a ceasefire between rebels and Syria's regime ended a three-week government assault.

But a local branch of ISIS, known as Jaish Khaled bin Walid and based in a small area in Deraa's western countryside, was not included in the deal.

Early Wednesday, Russian warplanes began pounding the ISIS-controlled town of Saham Al Golan, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

"Russian air strikes hit Saham Al Golan this morning, as dozens of shells and artillery fire hit the town," said Observatory founder Rami Abdel Rahman, from the UK.

In retaliation, ISIS launched an attack southward on Heet, a rebel-held town that recently agreed to return to regime control.

The Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources across Syria, gave no immediate death toll for Wednesday's fighting.

"Daesh [ISIS] stormed Heet, detonated a car bomb and advanced there and are also intensely bombing the nearby village of Zaizun," said Mr Abdel Rahman.

ISIS claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a suicide car bombing in Zaizun that left 14 fighters dead.

The claim, distributed through an online messaging service, included the first apparent reference to the south as an official ISIS "province", reflecting its plan to re-establish an Islamic "caliphate" despite its crushing military defeats in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

Wednesday's clashes raged less than 10 kilometres from the armistice line with the Israeli-occupied Golan, and just 4km from Jordan.

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Read more

At least 14 dead in south Syria suicide car bomb claimed by ISIS

Syrian regime attacks rebel holdouts days after deal

Thousands of Syrians head home after rebels agree to Deraa truce

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Anticipating an attack, thousands have fled the ISIS-held zone in recent days towards the Israeli-occupied Golan.

Up to 200,000 displaced people have already sought refuge near the sealed armistice line, according to the United Nations.

The strategic location makes the south a prize for President Bashar Al Assad.

Backed by Russia, his troops began an offensive on Deraa province on June 19 that killed dozens of civilians and displaced more than 320,000 people.

That ended Friday, when Moscow brokered a deal for rebels to surrender weapons and hand over towns to regime troops.

The agreement also provides for safe passage for thousands of opposition fighters and civilians to rebel territory further north, although those transfers have not yet begun.

The regime now controls around 80 per cent of Deraa province, while rebels hold around 15 per cent, according to the Observatory.

The rebel pocket includes parts of western Deraa and the surrounded southern districts of its provincial capital.

Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

  1. Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate. 
  2. Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc. 
  3. Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway. 
  4. Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
  5. Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Results

International 4, United States 1

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.

Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.

Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.

Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.

Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.

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