Jane Araf

This is NPR News.

The Syrian military said Saturday it planned to push Kurdish forces out of Tabqa military airport in northern Syria, calling it a base for a Turkish Kurdish group it calls terrorists.

It's the same accusation leveled by Turkey, which backed Syrian opposition fighters who later became the backbone of Syrian government forces.

The U.S.

fought alongside the Syrian Kurdish forces to defeat ISIS in Syria six years ago.

It has been trying to broker a negotiated settlement between Syrian-led forces and the Syrian government.

It says fighting between Kurdish and government forces will harm joint efforts to fight ISIS.

Jane Araf, NPR News, Amman.

Iran's chief of police says the country has been calm since Thursday, despite calls from outside Iran for continued protests.

The Iranian government has cut phone and internet lines, making it extremely difficult to verify independently what's happening inside the country.

U.S.-based Iranian human rights groups say security forces have killed more than 2,000 people in protests over Iran's collapsing economy.

Iran's foreign minister says hundreds have died, including security forces and protesters.

President Trump, who has warned Iran against the crackdown, said midweek he had been told the killing had stopped.

Young people from across Lebanon greeted the Pope with songs and skits.

They brought him poignant tokens, symbolic of what the country has faced.

Burnt wood from a home destroyed in war.

soil into passports symbolizing suicide and emigration.

He said along with hope, they have the gift of time to shape the future.

For NPR News, I'm Jane Araf in Beirut.

Syria's state news agency says Israel fired artillery at the village overnight, followed by troops entering to make arrests.