ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) – by Stuart WILLIAMS One nation. One flag. One homeland. One state. These eight words have been the key slogan of Turkish politics in the last years, strongly favoured by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a symbol of national unity. But in the months before the July 15 failed military coup, there had been precious little such unity in Turkey with the southeast riven by conflict, the opposition in a constant war […]
Middle East
Saudi-led jets hit Yemen despite concerns
SANAA, Yemen (AFP) – Saudi-led coalition warplanes launched fresh air strikes against Shiite rebels across Yemen Wednesday despite international concerns over the escalation after the suspension of peace talks. The coalition resumed strikes days after UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait between representatives of the government and the Iran-backed Huthi rebels ended without a breakthrough. The coalition, which has been battling to prop up Yemen’s government against the Huthis since March 2015, hit rebel positions across […]
Twin PKK bomb attacks kill eight in southeast Turkey: official
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AFP) – by Mahmut BOZARSLAN At least eight people, mostly civilians, were killed on Wednesday in two separate bomb attacks targeting police blamed on Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in Turkey’s southeast, officials said. Five people, all civilians, were killed in a car bomb attack in the centre of the city of Diyarbakir, the regional governor’s office said in a statement. Twelve people were wounded including five police, it added. Another three people […]
Both sides brace for crucial battle for Syria’s Aleppo
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) – by Layal Abou Rahal with Karam al-Masri in Aleppo Syrian regime forces and rebel factions sent hundreds of reinforcements to Aleppo on Monday as both sides braced for a crucial battle to control the country’s second city. Fighting for Syria’s former economic powerhouse is intensifying after an opposition advance at the weekend broke through a three-week government siege of the city’s rebel-held east, dealing a major setback to regime troops. Rebel […]
Hundreds join crucial battle for Syria’s Aleppo
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) – by Layal Abou Rahal Syrian regime forces and rebel factions sent hundreds of reinforcements to Aleppo on Monday as opposition fighters announced an all-out offensive to take the country’s second city. The battle for Syria’s former economic powerhouse is intensifying after an opposition advance at the weekend broke through a three-week government siege of the city’s rebel-held east, dealing a major setback to regime troops. Rebel forces on Sunday announced a […]
Yemen peace talks end in failure
Kuwait City, Kuwait—The United Nations special envoy for Yemen announced the end of peace talks Saturday without any major breakthrough, but also said a new round of negotiations would begin after one month. “We will be leaving Kuwait today but the Yemeni peace talks are continuing,” Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told a press conference. He said he will be holding bilateral consultations with the two delegations in the coming few weeks to work out details […]
UN envoy says to suspend Yemen peace talks
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AFP) – The UN special envoy to Yemen said Thursday he plans to suspend peace talks between the country’s warring parties at the weekend but that negotiations will resume later. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed has been mediating the talks between President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi’s government and the Iran-backed Huthi rebels and their allies in Kuwait since April 21, without a major breakthrough. “We plan to hold the final session (of the talks) […]
Turkey issues warrant for preacher Gulen over coup
ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) – by Raziye AKKOC with Fulya Ozerkan in Istanbul Turkey issued an arrest warrant on Thursday for US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, accusing him of ordering the coup attempt aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. An Istanbul court issued the warrant, the first after the failed putsch for the reclusive cleric in Pennsylvania, the Anadolu news agency said. In the warrant, Gulen stands accused of “ordering the July 15 coup”, Anadolu reported. Gulen […]
Israel alleges Gaza World Vision head sent millions to Hamas
Jerusalem, Undefined (AFP) – by Joe Dyke with Daphne Rousseau in Ashkelon An Israeli court on Thursday charged the Gaza director of the World Vision non-governmental organisation with passing millions of dollars to the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas and its armed wing. Mohammed al-Halabi was alleged to have diverted $7.2 million (6.5 million euros) each year since 2010, with some of it funding the Gaza Strip rulers’ military campaign against Israel, said the Shin Bet internal […]
Turkey issues arrest warrants for 100 staff at Ankara hospital: official
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) – Turkey on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for 100 staff, including doctors, at the main military hospital in Ankara as part of an investigation into last month’s failed coup, a Turkish official and reports said. Police were searching the Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) hospital in the capital, the private NTV television reported. It was not immediately clear if any suspects had been detained. The Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed […]
Yemen govt delegates quit talks until rebels accept deal
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AFP) – Yemen’s government delegation to peace talks were leaving Kuwait on Monday after the rebel side rejected a draft peace plan proposed by the United Nations, its representatives said. “We now leave Kuwait… but are not quitting the consultations and not ending them before August 7,” said the head of the delegation, Foreign Minister Abdulmalek al-Mikhlafi. He was referring to the end date set by the UN envoy Ismail Ould […]
Five dead as Russian military helicopter downed in Syria
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) – by Sara Hussein A Russian military helicopter was shot down over Syria on Monday, killing all five people on board in the single deadliest incident for Moscow since it intervened in the war. The attack came as Syrian opposition fighters and their jihadist allies battled government forces outside Aleppo in a bid to ease the regime’s siege of rebel-held parts of the northern city. Russia’s defence ministry announced the downing of the helicopter, […]
