Xinhua world news summary at 1600 GMT, Feb. 18

Up to 21 Taliban militants have been killed over the past two days in Qoshtapa district of the northern Jauzjan province as cleanup operation has been continuing in the area, an army spokesman in the province, Reza Rezae said Thursday.

"The security forces launched cleanup operations in Qoshtapa district early Wednesday and so far 21 armed rebels have been killed and three others injured," Rezae told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Taliban)

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ANKARA -- Six soldiers of the Turkish security forces were killed Thursday when a bomb hit a military vehicle in southeastern Diyarbakir province, local NTV reported.

The explosion, in Diyarbakir province, occurred on Diyarbakir-Lice highway near Mermer Gendermarie military outpost, said the report. (Turkey-Attack)

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KHARTOUM -- At least seven people were killed on Thursday and many others injured when unidentified gunmen attacked a United Nations base in Malakal, the capital city of Upper Nile State in South Sudan.

"Gunmen attacked the base on Thursday morning and killed seven people," Deng Amon, a native administration leader in the base, told Xinhua by phone. "There are many others injured but they have not been counted yet." (S.Sudan-UN-Attack)

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MOSCOW -- The shipment of Russian S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran has been delayed due to payment issues, said the Kremlin on Thursday.

"The deal has not been paid for properly, so it is premature to speak about a concrete delivery date," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. (Russia-Iran-Missile)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Cuba on March 21 and 22, the White House announced Thursday.

"The president will work to build on the progress we have made toward normalization of relations with Cuba," it said. (U.S.-Cuba) Endi