The UN's secretary general condemned the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus and declared the inviolability of diplomatic facilities.
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The United States does not support Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, commenting on attacks on Russian refineries.
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What was Israel trying to accomplish by attacking the Iranian consulate in Damascus?
The Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which resulted in the deaths of two generals and five Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, shows that Israel is trying to draw Iran into the Gaza Strip conflict, argues Foad Izadi, associate professor at the University of Tehran’s Department of American Studies.
As the Israeli forces have been unable to fulfill their stated goal of defeating Hamas, 'succeeding' only in murdering some 30,000 Palestinians – most of them women and children - Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu realizes that an inglorious end of this campaign would spell the end of his political career, Izadi explained.
Izadi also suggested that Iran may seek to “cause pain for the Israelis” in retaliation, in order to dissuade the latter from “these types of actions” in the future.
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The Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which resulted in the deaths of two generals and five Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, shows that Israel is trying to draw Iran into the Gaza Strip conflict, argues Foad Izadi, associate professor at the University of Tehran’s Department of American Studies.
As the Israeli forces have been unable to fulfill their stated goal of defeating Hamas, 'succeeding' only in murdering some 30,000 Palestinians – most of them women and children - Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu realizes that an inglorious end of this campaign would spell the end of his political career, Izadi explained.
“That's why criminal acts and genocide in Gaza continue. And Netanyahu realizes, sooner or later this war needs to end. And that would be the end of his prime ministership. And so he's trying to prolong the war, he's trying to widen the war,” he added.
Izadi also suggested that Iran may seek to “cause pain for the Israelis” in retaliation, in order to dissuade the latter from “these types of actions” in the future.
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❗️Zelensky has signed a law reducing the mobilization age from 27 to 25
Earlier, US Senator Lindsey Graham urged young Ukrainians to continue to risk their lives for the Kiev regime, encouraging legislators to pass a new law that would lower the country’s draft age to 25.
The US senator stressed that the US adheres to the notion of fighting Russia until the last Ukrainian, saying, “No matter what we do, you should be fighting.”
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Earlier, US Senator Lindsey Graham urged young Ukrainians to continue to risk their lives for the Kiev regime, encouraging legislators to pass a new law that would lower the country’s draft age to 25.
The US senator stressed that the US adheres to the notion of fighting Russia until the last Ukrainian, saying, “No matter what we do, you should be fighting.”
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Swedes beginning to realize NATO membership comes at a price
Sweden has started to realize that something is wrong with the nation's NATO membership, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has noted on her Telegram account.
The Nordic country officially became the 32nd member of NATO on March 7, abandoning its long-held neutrality. Despite Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lauding the accession as a way of ensuring Sweden's security, the nation's journalists, former officials and peace activists think otherwise.
"It looks as if Sweden was at war with the US and lost," veteran investigative journalist Jan Guillou wrote for Swedish daily Aftonbladet. "There, American supremacy is introduced in Sweden."
"Militarily, Sweden becomes a vassal to the US," echoed Sven Hirdman, former state secretary to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to Russia, in his op-ed for Dagens Arena.
"It is striking how quickly and, I would argue, with how little forethought, this reversal took place. The NATO decision was taken in a couple of weeks in the spring of 2022."
"NATO membership is a risky, costly misprioritization that contributes to increased military rearmament, normalization of nuclear weapons and increased tensions at a time when we need the opposite," highlighted the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, a nonprofit dedicated to peace, disarmament and democratization.
What's worse, as a result of the new agreements with NATO and the US, Sweden may be drawn into the alliance's completely devastating war with Russia, Swedish commentators warn.
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Sweden has started to realize that something is wrong with the nation's NATO membership, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has noted on her Telegram account.
The Nordic country officially became the 32nd member of NATO on March 7, abandoning its long-held neutrality. Despite Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson lauding the accession as a way of ensuring Sweden's security, the nation's journalists, former officials and peace activists think otherwise.
"It looks as if Sweden was at war with the US and lost," veteran investigative journalist Jan Guillou wrote for Swedish daily Aftonbladet. "There, American supremacy is introduced in Sweden."
"Militarily, Sweden becomes a vassal to the US," echoed Sven Hirdman, former state secretary to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to Russia, in his op-ed for Dagens Arena.
"It is striking how quickly and, I would argue, with how little forethought, this reversal took place. The NATO decision was taken in a couple of weeks in the spring of 2022."
"NATO membership is a risky, costly misprioritization that contributes to increased military rearmament, normalization of nuclear weapons and increased tensions at a time when we need the opposite," highlighted the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, a nonprofit dedicated to peace, disarmament and democratization.
What's worse, as a result of the new agreements with NATO and the US, Sweden may be drawn into the alliance's completely devastating war with Russia, Swedish commentators warn.
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Xi Jinping told Joe Biden that the Taiwan issue is a "red line" in relations between China and the United States during a phone call, and that Beijing will not ignore external support for the island's independence.
The Chinese leader likewise stressed that Beijing will not ignore US efforts to suppress China's high tech development.
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The Chinese leader likewise stressed that Beijing will not ignore US efforts to suppress China's high tech development.
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‘The US pulled the strings using Ukraine's hands’: Ordinary Russians on the Moscow Concert Attack
Sputnik asked Moscow residents about one of the largest terrorist attacks in the history of modern Russia. How did Russian society react and who do they think was behind the attack?
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Sputnik asked Moscow residents about one of the largest terrorist attacks in the history of modern Russia. How did Russian society react and who do they think was behind the attack?
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Top US and Ukrainian officials accused of orchestrating terror campaign against Russia
Russian authorities have initiated an investigation in allegations that top US and Ukrainian officials may be involved in terrorist attacks against Russia.
The inquest was prompted by a statement issued by a group of Russian lawmakers who urged the country's Investigative Committee to look into what they described as evidence of “an organized criminal (terrorist) group consisting of top US officials” and NATO leaders.
The lawmakers also alleged that this group includes “Biden’s Ukrainian business partners” – namely, the owner of the infamous gas production company Burisma – as well as Ukraine’s political leadership and Ukrainian spy agency officers.
Having asked to review the claims contained within this statement, the lawmakers also urged the Investigative Committee to “bring individuals and legal entities involved in the financing of terrorism to justice.”
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Russian authorities have initiated an investigation in allegations that top US and Ukrainian officials may be involved in terrorist attacks against Russia.
The inquest was prompted by a statement issued by a group of Russian lawmakers who urged the country's Investigative Committee to look into what they described as evidence of “an organized criminal (terrorist) group consisting of top US officials” and NATO leaders.
The lawmakers also alleged that this group includes “Biden’s Ukrainian business partners” – namely, the owner of the infamous gas production company Burisma – as well as Ukraine’s political leadership and Ukrainian spy agency officers.
Having asked to review the claims contained within this statement, the lawmakers also urged the Investigative Committee to “bring individuals and legal entities involved in the financing of terrorism to justice.”
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Drone attack on Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan : what’s known so far? In the early hours of Tuesday, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) attacked several facilities in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, local emergency services said. 🔸 The drones targeted civilian…
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan denies allegations that the drones used to attack Russia's Tatarstan were launched there
“The information disseminated in some Telegram channels that the drones that allegedly attacked the objects of the Republic of Tatarstan were launched from the territory of Kazakhstan is not true,” the country's Defense Ministry said on Telegram.
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“The information disseminated in some Telegram channels that the drones that allegedly attacked the objects of the Republic of Tatarstan were launched from the territory of Kazakhstan is not true,” the country's Defense Ministry said on Telegram.
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Russian space corporation Roscosmos has approved a draft design of the Russian orbital station.
Its deployment is planned for the period from 2027 to 2032. The station will have an open modular architecture and will fly around the Earth in a polar orbit.
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Its deployment is planned for the period from 2027 to 2032. The station will have an open modular architecture and will fly around the Earth in a polar orbit.
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Remembering Vladlen Tatarsky: A victim of the Ukrainian regime
Exactly a year ago, Russian war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky was killed in a blast at a St. Petersburg café.
The 40-year-old was a well-known former military commander and a war correspondent with hundreds of thousands of followers on Russian social media.
Tatarsky fell victim to a terrorist attack involving an improvised explosive device brought to the public space by Daria Trepova, who was later charged with 27 years in prison.
Upon thorough investigation, Russia’s Investigative Committee concluded that Trepova was recruited by Ukrainian services and committed the act on their orders.
Tatarsky’s murder is on the list of Ukraine’s terrorist attacks against Russian infrastructure and public figures, also including the murder of writer and journalist Oles Buzina, political analyst and publicist Darya Dugina, journalist Gonzalo Lira, and the assassination attempt against writer Zakhar Prilepin.
A Donetsk native, Tatarsky joined the Donbass People's Militia in the wake of the Maidan coup in 2014 and Kiev authorities’ violence against the sovereignty-seeking people of Donetsk and Lugansk.
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Exactly a year ago, Russian war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky was killed in a blast at a St. Petersburg café.
The 40-year-old was a well-known former military commander and a war correspondent with hundreds of thousands of followers on Russian social media.
Tatarsky fell victim to a terrorist attack involving an improvised explosive device brought to the public space by Daria Trepova, who was later charged with 27 years in prison.
Upon thorough investigation, Russia’s Investigative Committee concluded that Trepova was recruited by Ukrainian services and committed the act on their orders.
Tatarsky’s murder is on the list of Ukraine’s terrorist attacks against Russian infrastructure and public figures, also including the murder of writer and journalist Oles Buzina, political analyst and publicist Darya Dugina, journalist Gonzalo Lira, and the assassination attempt against writer Zakhar Prilepin.
A Donetsk native, Tatarsky joined the Donbass People's Militia in the wake of the Maidan coup in 2014 and Kiev authorities’ violence against the sovereignty-seeking people of Donetsk and Lugansk.
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Why Chasov Yar is the key to liberating the Donetsk People's Republic
Chasov Yar is located on a hill seven kilometers west of Artemovsk (also known as Bakhmut) which was liberated by Russia in May 2023. The city's geographical position makes it important from a strategic standpoint, as it overlooks the surrounding area for many miles.
The Russian military is now less than a mile from the city, adviser to the head of the DPR Igor Kimakovsky told Sputnik on April 2. As the Russian forces are getting closer to Chasov Yar, taking the main roads running into the city under their control, the importance of the settlement as a Ukrainian military hub is fading, according to Kimakovsky.
Presently, the so-called Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration – an elongated, almost continuous line of cities – remains under the control of Ukraine, Poletaev noted. This chain of cities has been Ukraine's main defense line in Donbass since 2014.
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"The one who controls Chasov Yar receives a very serious advantage in the entire surrounding area," Sergey Poletaev, a political and military analyst, told Sputnik. "It is a defense hub [for the Ukrainian military]. Whoever controls it actually controls everything – the entire defense in the northern part of the Donetsk People's Republic."
Chasov Yar is located on a hill seven kilometers west of Artemovsk (also known as Bakhmut) which was liberated by Russia in May 2023. The city's geographical position makes it important from a strategic standpoint, as it overlooks the surrounding area for many miles.
The Russian military is now less than a mile from the city, adviser to the head of the DPR Igor Kimakovsky told Sputnik on April 2. As the Russian forces are getting closer to Chasov Yar, taking the main roads running into the city under their control, the importance of the settlement as a Ukrainian military hub is fading, according to Kimakovsky.
Presently, the so-called Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration – an elongated, almost continuous line of cities – remains under the control of Ukraine, Poletaev noted. This chain of cities has been Ukraine's main defense line in Donbass since 2014.
"Accordingly, in order to liberate Donbass, we need to take it," the military analyst said. "This is a very serious operation. With the exception of the February 2022 op, we have not yet carried out strategic operations of that scale. Thus, it is necessary to create conditions for accomplishing this task. One of these conditions will be the liberation of Chasov Yar."
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🇷🇺🇧🇾 April 2 marks the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and Belarus
The partnership between the two countries includes not only economic, political and cultural interaction, but also military cooperation.
Watch a special video prepared by Sputnik to find out more about military cooperation between Russia and Belarus.
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The partnership between the two countries includes not only economic, political and cultural interaction, but also military cooperation.
Watch a special video prepared by Sputnik to find out more about military cooperation between Russia and Belarus.
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Vladimir Putin said Serbian movie director Emir Kusturica's assessments regarding events in Ukraine coincide with his own.
Kusturica, in turn, thanked the president for restoring historical justice.
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"Your assessments of today, including the tragic events in Ukraine, fully coincide with mine. That's how it is. What happened in Serbia and what is happening now between Russia and Ukraine, the glorification, the elevation of fascist elements from the past, giving them new life in the present, are certainly very similar phenomena," Putin said at a meeting with Kusturica on Tuesday.
Kusturica, in turn, thanked the president for restoring historical justice.
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America Last: Outgoing US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell vows to keep lobbying for Ukrainian interests.
Despite planning to step down as Senate Republican leader after the US elections in November, the 82-year old McConnell told reporters that he would remain in politics to battle against skeptics of new Ukraine funding.
"I'm not leaving the Senate. And I'm particularly involved in fighting back against the isolationist movement in my own party. The symbol lately is ‘are we gonna help Ukraine or not.’”
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Despite planning to step down as Senate Republican leader after the US elections in November, the 82-year old McConnell told reporters that he would remain in politics to battle against skeptics of new Ukraine funding.
"I'm not leaving the Senate. And I'm particularly involved in fighting back against the isolationist movement in my own party. The symbol lately is ‘are we gonna help Ukraine or not.’”
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▪️Why Chasov Yar is the key to liberating the Donetsk People's Republic
▪️Putin says Russia will identify not only the perpetrators of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack but also all links and beneficiaries
▪️Why is Israeli attack on Iran’s Syria consulate a ‘blatant violation’ of international law and what was Israel trying to accomplish?
▪️Drone attack on Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan : what’s known so far?
▪️Why is NATO holding drills in Moldova?
▪️Who were the aid workers killed in the Israeli airstrike in Gaza?
▪️Ex-CIA analyst: Russia's FAB-3000 bombs could be 'game changer' in Ukraine conflict
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▪️Putin says Russia will identify not only the perpetrators of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack but also all links and beneficiaries
▪️Why is Israeli attack on Iran’s Syria consulate a ‘blatant violation’ of international law and what was Israel trying to accomplish?
▪️Drone attack on Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan : what’s known so far?
▪️Why is NATO holding drills in Moldova?
▪️Who were the aid workers killed in the Israeli airstrike in Gaza?
▪️Ex-CIA analyst: Russia's FAB-3000 bombs could be 'game changer' in Ukraine conflict
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Ukraine openly admits to fueling ethnic tensions in Russia after Crocus terror attack
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), disclosed to The Times that the center is exploiting the attack to stoke ethnic divisions in Russia.
The CCD infiltrated Russian social media and Telegram chats, amplifying sympathy for the terrorists, pitting ethnic groups against Russian police, and inciting hatred against national minorities.
The CCD has about 50 full-time analysts and is subordinated to the National Security and Defense Council, the body supervising Ukraine's security services.
Russian Investigative Committee has found that the terrorists responsible for the Crocus City Hall shooting were apparently funded by Ukrainian masterminds. The Russian Foreign Ministry alleges that Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) head Vasyl Malyuk could be involved in the terror attacks against Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned against provoking an increase in ethnic enmity and Islamophobia in Russia: "It is unacceptable, I want to emphasize this, to use recent tragic events to provoke national hatred, xenophobia, Islamophobia and so on," he said.
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Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), disclosed to The Times that the center is exploiting the attack to stoke ethnic divisions in Russia.
The CCD infiltrated Russian social media and Telegram chats, amplifying sympathy for the terrorists, pitting ethnic groups against Russian police, and inciting hatred against national minorities.
The CCD has about 50 full-time analysts and is subordinated to the National Security and Defense Council, the body supervising Ukraine's security services.
Russian Investigative Committee has found that the terrorists responsible for the Crocus City Hall shooting were apparently funded by Ukrainian masterminds. The Russian Foreign Ministry alleges that Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) head Vasyl Malyuk could be involved in the terror attacks against Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned against provoking an increase in ethnic enmity and Islamophobia in Russia: "It is unacceptable, I want to emphasize this, to use recent tragic events to provoke national hatred, xenophobia, Islamophobia and so on," he said.
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US Treasury Department removes former European subsidiary of Russia's VTB bank from sanctions list, according to a statement.
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US Treasury Department removes former European subsidiary of Russia's VTB bank from sanctions list, according to a statement. Subscribe to @SputnikInt
The US Treasury Department on Tuesday removed a former European subsidiary of Russia’s VTB Bank from its sanctions list.
In April 2022, German regulator BaFin said that Russia’s VTB can no longer exercise any control over its European subsidiary in connection with new sanctions. The watchdog shortly after appointed a special representative to help run the European arm of the Russian bank.
In March 2023, an annual meeting of new shareholders decided to liquidate VTB Bank Europe as of April 1, 2023. VTB calls the moves illegal and political.
In November 2023, the former subsidiary changed its name to OWH SE after VTB refused to allow it to operate under the brand.
In February 2024, VTB said that OWH SE denies VTB's right of ownership over the German bank and is demanding the return of dividends since 2013 worth more than 433.8 million euros.
Western countries did not expect Russian banks to be able to cope with sanctions imposed against them, Vladimir Putin said in 2023, noting that the Russian economy has withstood sanctions pressure.
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In April 2022, German regulator BaFin said that Russia’s VTB can no longer exercise any control over its European subsidiary in connection with new sanctions. The watchdog shortly after appointed a special representative to help run the European arm of the Russian bank.
In March 2023, an annual meeting of new shareholders decided to liquidate VTB Bank Europe as of April 1, 2023. VTB calls the moves illegal and political.
In November 2023, the former subsidiary changed its name to OWH SE after VTB refused to allow it to operate under the brand.
In February 2024, VTB said that OWH SE denies VTB's right of ownership over the German bank and is demanding the return of dividends since 2013 worth more than 433.8 million euros.
Western countries did not expect Russian banks to be able to cope with sanctions imposed against them, Vladimir Putin said in 2023, noting that the Russian economy has withstood sanctions pressure.
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The US was not notified by the Israelis about their strike or the intended target of their strike in Damascus, Syria that killed several senior Iranian military personnel, Pentagon deputy spokesperson Sabrina Singh said.
Singh added that the US does not support strikes on diplomatic missions.
The US had reached out to Iran as it wanted to make its non-involvement in the attack very clear amid high tensions in the region, the spokesperson added.
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“We were not notified by the Israelis about their strike or the intended target of their strike in Damascus,” Singh said during a press briefing.
Singh added that the US does not support strikes on diplomatic missions.
"We have made it very clear in private channels to Iran that we were not responsible for the strike that happened in Damascus. I would reiterate, the US had no involvement in that strike, and we had no knowledge about that ahead of time," Singh told reporters.
The US had reached out to Iran as it wanted to make its non-involvement in the attack very clear amid high tensions in the region, the spokesperson added.
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Sputnik International
The US was not notified by the Israelis about their strike or the intended target of their strike in Damascus, Syria that killed several senior Iranian military personnel, Pentagon deputy spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. “We were not notified by the Israelis…
The Israeli air force strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on Monday killed four Syrians and injured 13 more, Syrian Health Minister Hassan Al-Ghabbash said.
On Monday, Israel carried out an airstrike on the consular annex of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, destroying the building. Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said seven of its members were killed in the attack, including two commanders.
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"The number of Syrian citizens killed in the Israeli aggression against the Iranian consulate on Monday reached four, 13 are injured," the minister told Syria’s state-run SANA broadcaster.
On Monday, Israel carried out an airstrike on the consular annex of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, destroying the building. Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said seven of its members were killed in the attack, including two commanders.
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