Following the Iraqi forces' victory in Ramadi, here is a recap of key cities and towns in Iraq and Syria seized by the Islamic State militant group or recaptured from them.

Boko Haram Islamic extremists struck the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri for the first time in months Monday with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers, witnesses said. At least 30 people were killed and the death toll could go higher.

The United States and its allies conducted 37 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Sunday, including a burst of air strikes against the militant group near the Syrian city of Manbij, according to the coalition leading the operations.

A sacred valley leads you to a religions complex surrounded by mountains in St. Catherine, the city in the center of South Sinai located on a plateau 1,600 meters above sea level.

Pope Francis on Sunday asked Central American nations to help end the "humanitarian drama" affecting thousands of US-bound Cubans stranded in the region.

Al-Azhar voiced Sunday its strong condemnation of an attack on a mosque in French Corsica Island, calling on the French government to protect the role of Islamic and non-Islamic worship places from such attacks.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Muslims must improve the image of their religion, which has been tarnished by the violence of hardline groups such as Islamic State,

A new message purporting to come from the leader of Islamic State militant group said air strikes by Russia and a U.S.-led coalition had failed to weaken the group.

Egypt’s ultra-conservative Nour Party said on Thursday that its elected members would attend the first parliament session, denying rumours that they would be absent because a woman will head the session.

Egypt's Catholics will celebrate Christmas on Friday, amid what officials say is a heightened state of security. The Patriarch of the Egyptian Catholic Church, Ibrahem Ishaq, will lead Christmas Eve mass on Thursday at the Virgin Lady Church in Cairo's northeastern Nasr City district, Spokesman of Egypt's Catholic Church Rafiq Gereich told Ahram Online.

It is a bitter Christmas for Elias Manna, who will celebrate alone for the first time because his five sons have left the Gaza Strip, the besieged Palestinian territory subjected to three Israeli assaults since 2008.

Al-Masry Al-Youm continues to monitor the tolerance between religions and the message of peace that you will notice as soon as you set foot in St. Catherine.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi extends his sincere greetings and warm wishes to Egypt’s Christians and Christians all over the world who celebrate Christmas on December 25, wishing them, their families and their loved ones all welfare and blessings.

An Egyptian military court Tuesday sentenced Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie to 10 years in prison over deadly clashes following the 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, judicial officials said.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi attended a celebration, marking the Birth of Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, at Al Azhar Conference Center. Addressing the event, the President congratulated the Islamic Umma and stressed the value of responsible and conscious freedom in Islam.

For the first time in years, “Al-Mouled Al-Nabawy” (the Birth of Prophet Mohammed), falls on the 12th day of the third month of the Islamic calendar, Rabi’i Al-Awal, and coincides with Christmas on the same day. Both Muslims and Christians are celebrating the birth of their holidays in the same week.

Prime Minister David Cameron was urged to intervene Wednesday after a British Muslim family was prevented from flying to the United States for a visit to Disneyland.

Eight senior Islamic State commanders were killed in air strikes by the Iraqi airforce, Iraqi state TV reported on Wednesday citing a military statement.

A military court sentenced Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and other leading Brotherhood figures including Mohamed al-Beltagy and Safwat Hegazy to 10 years.

In response to calls for renewed protests on 25 January, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi emphasised his commitment to submit to the political mandate of the Egyptian people, in order to prevent a national security crisis, in a speech on Tuesday.

Iraq's armed forces stormed the center of Ramadi on Tuesday, a spokesman for the counter-terrorism units said, in a drive to dislodge Islamic State militants from their remaining stronghold in a city they captured in May.