A Derry man charged with receiving weapons training from opposition forces in the Syrian civil war has told police he was involved in battles against both Islamic State and the government regime, a court has heard.

Syrian government forces have reached an agreement with local officials of a vulnerable Sunni village in a region dominated by President Bashar Assad’s Alawite sect to end hours of deadly shelling in exchange for the surrender of dozens of opposition fighters, an activist group said today.

The United States today said that Hamas’ role in freeing BBC journalist Alan Johnston has not changed the world’s opinion of the Islamic militant group.

The release of kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston is a message to the world that Hamas is capable of maintaining security and stability in the Gaza Strip, a senior official of the militant Palestinian group said today.

Hamas gunmen today took up positions around the stronghold of the group holding kidnapped British journalist Alan Johnston, stepping up the pressure to secure the Middle East correspondent’s release.

Hamas has arrested the spokesman of the Mideast group holding kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston, it was reported today.

IN a video released yesterday, a kidnapped British journalist appeared with what he said were explosives strapped to his body and warned his captors intend to set them off if rescuers attempt to free him by force.

A video has been released showing kidnapped British Gaza-based journalist Alan Johnston in an apparent suicide bomber explosives belt and warning it will be detonated if an attempt is made to free him by force.

The kidnappers of BBC reporter Alan Johnston fear they will be harmed if they release him now that Hamas is in control of Gaza, a senior Hamas official said.

A PALESTINIAN militant group holding BBC reporter Alan Johnston last night denied any deal to free the man abducted in Gaza three months ago and said he would only be released if its demands were met.

A group of female TV news readers marched through Gaza City today to protest against a fundamentalist group's threat to behead them if they did not don modest Islamic dress.

Palestinian forces could take military action to release kidnapped British journalist Alan Johnston, a close adviser to President Mahmoud Abbas has said.

Kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston appeared in a video posted on an Islamic militant website today, saying he had been treated well.

A Palestinian news agency today said it had received a recording of BBC reporter Alan Johnston, kidnapped in the Gaza Strip two and a half months ago.

A video of BBC reporter Alan Johnston, kidnapped in Gaza City on March 12, has been posted on the internet, news reports said today.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah warned Lebanon not to storm a besieged Palestinian refugee camp, calling instead for a negotiated solution.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today ignored a deadline to free Palestinian prisoners and instead ordered the army to target ”terrorists” and their backers, in an apparent threat against Syria.

Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert today ignored a deadline to begin releasing Palestinian prisoners and instead issued a veiled threat against Syria, vowing to strike “those who sponsor” the militants in the Gaza Strip who seized a young Israeli soldier.

Militants holding an Israeli soldier today said they would give no further information about him because Israel ignored a deadline to release Palestinian prisoners.

A senior Israeli Cabinet minister today warned of a harsh military response in the Gaza Strip if an abducted Israeli is harmed by his Palestinian captors.

The three Palestinian militant groups that captured an Israeli soldier have given Israel until 6am tomorrow to release Palestinian prisoners or “pay the consequences”.

Palestinian militants holding an abducted Israeli soldier issued a new set of demands today, calling for a halt in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and urging the release of 1,000 prisoners from Israeli jails.

A statement from Palestinian groups purporting to hold an Israeli soldier have demanded the release of women and children under 18 held in Israeli prisons.