The top generals of the Turkish, Russian and US military met Tuesday for talks likely to be dominated by next steps in the fight against Islamic State jihadists in Syria. The meeting between Turkish Chief of Staff Hulusi Akar, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and Russian Chief of General Staff … Read more
Turkish, Russian and US military chiefs held talks on Tuesday in the southern Turkish city of Antalya to discuss regional issues including Iraq and Syria, the Turkish army said. “Common issues relating to regional security, in particular Syria and Iraq, are being discussed at the meeting,” the army said in a statement, without elaborating further. … Read more
Turkey on Monday stepped back from threats to strike Syrian Kurdish militia forces deployed in Manbij, a former Islamic State group bastion, unless it was in cooperation with Russia and the United States. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim’s announcement came after Ankara on Thursday threatened to strike Syrian Kurdish forces — considered “terrorists” by Turkey — … Read more
A Syrian military plane crashed in Turkey on Saturday near the country’s border with Syria, the Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu said. The plane crashed in the Turkish province of Hatay, it said, quoting provincial governor Erdal Ata as saying police and medical teams were at the site. “The plane’s cockpit was empty. We believe … Read more
Turkish armed forces and allied Syrian rebels have completely taken the IS bastion of Al-Bab in northern Syria from jihadists, the military said Friday. “As of February 24, 2017, control of all neighbourhoods in Al-Bab have been secured” by opposition fighters supported by Ankara against the Islamic State group (IS), the army said in a … Read more
Turkey has presented two plans to the US detailing how a joint operation could retake the IS de-facto capital of Raqa in northern Syria, a local newspaper reported Saturday. Turkish Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar set out Ankara’s proposals to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford during his visit … Read more
Turkish bombardment of an Islamic State group-held town in Syria has killed 24 civilians, a monitor said Thursday, but Turkey’s army said only “terrorists” died in the operation. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the dead in air strikes and shelling on the town of Al-Bab in the last 24 hours included 11 children. … Read more
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Saudi Arabia’s top leadership on Tuesday during a visit to further strengthen ties as part of a Gulf tour ahead of Syria peace talks. King Salman hosted a luncheon banquet for Erdogan, who arrived in Riyadh late Monday, the official Saudi Press Agency said. It gave no details of … Read more
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in Istanbul on Friday for talks with Turkey’s Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, at the start of his first visit to the Middle East as the world body’s leader, his office said Friday. Guterres, who left New York on Thursday, was also scheduled to meet on Saturday with Turkish President … Read more
European leaders, the United Nations and international groups have condemned US President Donald Trump’s measures against refugees and travellers from several Muslim-majority countries. The chorus of criticism came as passport holders from Arab countries were blocked on Saturday from passing through customs at US airports and others were prevented from boarding US-bound planes. Trump on … Read more
Turkey’s parliament has approved a new draft constitution paving the way for a presidential system of government. The reforms – which would significantly increase the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – received the required three-fifth majority in the assembly. The bill will be put to a referendum, probably in April, and will become law … Read more
ISIL has claimed responsibility for the attack on a nightclub in Istanbul that killed 39 people on New Year’s Eve. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group released on Monday a statement claiming responsibility for the raid. “In continuation of the blessed operations that Islamic State is conducting … Read more
Turkey’s ruling AK Party on Saturday submitted to parliament a package of constitutional reform proposals that would expand the president’s powers, party officials said, in a move that could potentially see President Tayyip Erdogan rule until 2029. Erdogan and his supporters have long argued that the country needs the strong leadership of an executive presidency, … Read more
At least 12 people, almost all of them schoolchildren, have been killed after a fire broke out in a girls’ dormitory in Turkey’s southern province of Adana, according to the local governor. The fire, which officials said was likely caused by an electrical fault, spread rapidly through the building’s wooden interior late on Tuesday, as … Read more
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has withdrawn a bill that would pardon men convicted of sex with underage girls if they had married them. The government acted just before the controversial legislation went to a final vote in parliament, which is dominated by the ruling AK Party. The bill sparked protests and was met with … Read more
Thousands have protested in Istanbul in Turkey against a bill that would let off men who assaulted underage girls if they marry their victims. The government insists the legislation is aimed at dealing with the widespread custom of child marriage, but critics say that it will legitimise child rape. Protesters clapped and chanted: “We will … Read more
The fight in Mosul is projected to last 60 days The battle to recapture Mosul from ISIS could take two months, a Peshmerga military commander told CNN on Tuesday, the second day of the long-awaited offensive to liberate Iraq’s second city. Sirwan Barzani, a brigadier general, said it would likely take two weeks for advancing … Read more