Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Jan. 4

DAMASCUS -- The Syrian army unleashed a counter-offensive Thursday to break a siege imposed by al-Qaida-linked militants on a key military base east of the capital Damascus, a military source told Xinhua.

The army units have started their counter-attack and captured buildings east of the municipal building in the city of Harasta in northeastern Damascus amid heavy artillery shelling and rocket fire targeting the positions of the al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee (LLC) and Failaq al-Rahman, the source said on condition of anonymity. (Syria-Terror)

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ANKARA -- Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag on Thursday slammed the U.S. court verdict in a case of Turkish banker, saying it is "a case of political conspiracy."

"Turkey is a fully independent and sovereign country. No other country can adjudicate Turkey and Turkey's institutions," Bozdag stated on his Twitter account, adding this verdict was against international law as well. (Turkey-U.S.)

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KHARTOUM -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday issued a decree to extend the cease-fire in all conflict zones for three months, the official SUNA news agency reported.

"Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir issued a Republican Decree Thursday extending the declared cease-fire at the operations zones for another three months," the report said. (Sudan-Cease-fire)

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KHARTOUM -- Sudan said on Thursday that it decided to recall its ambassador to Egypt for consultation.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to recall the Sudanese ambassador in Cairo Abdul Mahmoud Abdul Haleem for consultation," official SUNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry Spokesman Gariballah al-Khider as saying. (Sudan-Egypt) Enditem