Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Feb. 28

BOGOTA -- At least five Colombian soldiers were killed and 10 more injured in an attack on Tuesday by the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group in the town of Tibu in north Colombia, the army announced.

The army said that the soldiers were attacked with explosives around 1 a.m. on Tuesday as they were carrying out a tactical deployment along a road between Tibu and Salazar de las Palmas.(Colombia-ELN-Attack)

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DAMASCUS -- At least 24 civilians were killed Tuesday by fresh U.S.-led airstrikes on areas in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, state news agency SANA reported.

The airstrikes targeted a gathering of displaced people in the Zahrat al-Elwani area in the countryside of Deir al-Zour, said SANA.(Syria-Deir al-Zour)

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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. State Department on Tuesday said it has designated seven Islamic State (IS)-affiliated groups and two leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

Three of the seven groups, namely the IS-West Africa, IS-Philippines and IS-Bangladesh, were also designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, and their property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked.(U.S.-IS-Terrorism)

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MOSCOW -- A minibus crashed into a truck on Tuesday in southwest Russia's Bashkiria region, killing nine people, local police said.

The bus was carrying 12 passengers when the accident happened.(Russia-Accident)

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MOGADISHU -- At least five Al-Shabaab militants were killed on Tuesday during heavy fighting between the group and Somali National Army (SNA) in Gedo region of southwest Somalia, local authorities said.

Deputy Governor of Gedo region, Sheikh Mohamed Hussein, told reporters that Somali National Army carried out the operation that targeted the militants' strongholds near Bardhere town in the region.(Somalia-Al-Shabaab) Enditem