LONDON (AP) — The latest developments regarding the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq: All times local.
11:55 p.m.
Authorities in Russia's predominantly Muslim republic of Chechnya have organized classes to stave off Islamic State recruitment.
Thousands of Russian Muslim have joined IS in Syria, and some have taken senior positions. Local students in Chechnya say many of their peers are tempted to go to Syria because they believe in a true Islamic state there.
Islamic militancy has engulfed Russia's North Caucasus region, the republic of Dagestan in particular, following two separatist wars in neighboring Chechnya. While nearly 1,000 people are believed to have left Dagestan for Syria, the number of Chechen recruits is far lower.
Chechnya's authoritarian leader Ramzan Kadyrov said last month that less than 500 Chechens are believed to have joined IS and about 200 of them have been killed. Kadyrov has even offered to send thousands of Chechen fighters to fight IS.
___
11:15 a.m.
The European Union is trying to close legal loopholes that allow people to travel to Syria or Iraq as foreign fighters and then launch attacks like those in Paris last month when they return home.
Around 5,000 so-called foreign fighters are thought to be in the EU or come from it, but only about 1,500 are listed on Europe's criminal databases. The EU's executive Commission unveiled proposals on Wednesday that would criminalize attempts to recruit or train people for extremist activities.
New measures would target those who travel within the 28-nation EU or abroad to work with extremists like the Islamic State group. Others would attempt to choke off access to funds and assets.
The proposals must still be debated and adopted by EU member countries and the European Parliament.
___
11.05 a.m.
Belgian police have raided five more houses in the Brussels area early Wednesday and detained two people for questioning regarding the Paris attacks that left 130 people dead last month.
The raids targeted people who could have a link to Mohamed Abrini, who was seen driving with Paris fugitive Salah Abdeslam two days ahead of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, and Ahmed Dahmani, who is detained in Turkey.
None of Wednesday's detainees have been charged.
Join the conversation about this story »
