Icetruck.tv News Blog
World

AP PHOTOS: Best of 2017 for the Middle East

WireAP_be524395481b4984b70c85025b3f728e_12x5_992

AP PHOTOS: Best of 2017 for the Middle East

The Associated Press
Afghan livestock merchants display animals for sale prior to the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, at a market in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

    In 2017 the Islamic State group was driven from its last strongholds in Iraq and Syria at an enormous cost, Pakistanis broke their silence to speak about sexual abuse in Islamic schools, and the U.S. declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ignited widespread protests.

    Associated Press photographers across the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan documented war and unrest from the front lines of the region's conflicts, including in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Iranian-allied rebels and where its blockade on the Arab world's poorest country has crippled infrastructure and given rise to a cholera epidemic.

    History enthusiasts and descendants of Australian Mounted Division and ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division) Mounted Division soldiers ride their horses during rehearsal of the reenactment of the Battle of Beersheba when British and ANZThe Associated Press
    History enthusiasts and descendants of Australian Mounted Division and ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division) Mounted Division soldiers ride their horses during rehearsal of the reenactment of the Battle of Beersheba when British and ANZ

    The array of forces lined up against IS finally drove the group from the Syrian city of Raqqa, the capital of its self-styled caliphate, and Mosul in northern Iraq, the largest city ever held by the extremists.

    IS no longer holds any significant territory in either country, but affiliates elsewhere in the region, particularly in Egypt and Afghanistan, continue to sow mayhem, and IS still inspires radicals elsewhere, such as the Bangladeshi immigrant who set off an explosive device in New York City's subway system earlier this month.

    Syria's civil war is meanwhile far from over, though de-escalation agreements brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran have largely frozen the battle lines and reduced violence in much of the country.

    In Pakistan, an AP investigation found pervasive sexual abuse in the country's Islamic schools, which educate some 2 million students. Families had long remained silent, fearing the country's powerful religious establishment. Courts often allow accused clerics to settle allegations by paying "blood money" to the families of victims.

    History enthusiasts and descendants of Australian Mounted Division and ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division) Mounted Division soldiers ride their horses during the reenactment of the Battle of Beersheba when British and ANZAC forces capThe Associated Press
    History enthusiasts and descendants of Australian Mounted Division and ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division) Mounted Division soldiers ride their horses during the reenactment of the Battle of Beersheba when British and ANZAC forces cap

    In Washington, meanwhile, President Donald Trump broke with decades of American foreign policy by declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel and vowing to move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv. The move was met with near-worldwide condemnation, including from close U.S. allies, who warned it could deal a final blow to long-stalled peace efforts. Israel considers the entire city its unified capital, while the Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

    The following is a selection of some of the best AP images from yet another tumultuous year in the Middle East, curated by Middle East Regional Photo Editor Maya Alleruzzo.

    ———

    On Twitter:

    Maya Alleruzzo: https://twitter.com/mayaalleruzzo

    AP photographers and photo editors: https://twitter.com/AP/lists/ap-photographers

    • Star

    Add Interests Customize your news feed by choosing the topics that interest you.

    To save your interests across all devices Log In or Sign Up &raquo
    Source – abcnews.go.com

    Leave a Comment