Russia, Turkey, and Iran To Meet On Syria
The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran will hold a video conference on April 22 to discuss Syria and a de-escalation deal in the last rebel-held enclave in Idlib.
Turkey
Regional conflict in Middle East looks likely again as Trump and Iran trade threats, Syria reports Israeli airstrikes
President Trump threatened Iran with severe retaliation Wednesday after the U.S. military claimed Iranian ships had made ‘dangerous and threatening approaches’ toward American navy vessels in the Persian Gulf last week.
Hungary Defends “Orwellian Law” Amid Criticism
Hungary has condemned global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for saying that an ‘Orwellian law’ has imposed an ‘information police state’ in the country. RSF urged two United Nations rapporteurs to condemn the governments of Hungary and dozens of other nations for ‘violating the right to information’ about the coronavirus pandemic.
Russia, Turkey Pull Back From the Brink in Syria With Ceasefire Deal
Russia and Turkey have agreed to a new ceasefire in northwestern Syria, the site in recent weeks of numerous clashes between Turkish and Russian-backed Assad regime forces.
Turkey reignites refugee crisis in Europe
The Greek military and police are clashing with refugees rushing to cross the border from Turkey as islanders to the south cope with hundreds of new arrivals.
Russia Sends 4th Warship to Syria Amid Turkey Tensions
The Russian Navy has dispatched a fourth warship to Syria’s Mediterranean coast as tensions over the northwestern province of Idlib spiral with Turkey, amateur ship spotters reported Monday.
Syrian government forces re-enter strategic town, Turkey vows to keep up strikes
Syrian government forces entered parts of a strategic rebel-held town on Monday, and Turkey said it would keep hitting President Bashar al-Assad’s troops after ramping up operations in its biggest intervention yet into the Syrian civil war.
Erdogan warns ‘millions’ of refugees heading to Europe
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to bus thousands of migrants from refugee camps to Turkey’s border with Greece was the wrong approach, even if Ankara ‘currently does not feel sufficiently supported’ by Europe.
Turkey, Russia talk amid spiraling tensions in Syria as migrants push west
The presidents of Turkey and Russia spoke by phone Friday to try to defuse tensions that rose significantly in Syria after at least 33 Turkish troops were killed in an airstrike blamed on the Syrian government, and a new wave of refugees and migrants headed for the Greek land and sea border after Turkey said it would no longer hold them back.
Turkey Strikes Back At Syrian Forces, As West Condemns Damascus, Moscow
Turkey says its forces have retaliated against Russia-backed Syrian government forces after at least 33 of its soldiers were killed in air strikes in Idlib Province, as NATO condemned Damascus and Moscow for what it called “indiscriminate” bombing in the region.
Earthquake kills nine in Turkey, injures dozens in Iran
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake in northwestern Iran on Sunday killed nine people, including children, in neighboring Turkey and injured dozens on both sides of the border, authorities said.
Russia and Turkey agree on more talks on Syria amid crisis
Talks between Russia and Turkey meant to reduce tensions in northwestern Syria did not yield a ‘satisfactory result’ for Ankara, but both sides agreed to continue negotiations, a spokesman for Turkey’s president said Tuesday.
Trump, Turkey call for Russia to stop backing Syrian ‘atrocities’
US President Donald Trump has called for Russia to end its support for the Syrian regime’s ‘atrocities’ as he expressed US concern over violence in the Idlib region, the White House said Sunday.
Erdogan Threatens Military Escalation in Syria
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is threatening to escalate fighting against Syrian government forces following Monday’s killing of Turkish soldiers. The warning comes in the face of calls for restraint from Moscow, but Erdogan is facing growing domestic pressure for an uncompromising stance.
Putin, Erdogan agree to improve coordination of actions in Syria: Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan agreed to take immediate measures to improve coordination of their countries’ actions in Syria, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
Death Toll From Eastern Turkey Earthquake Climbs to 29
The death toll from a strong earthquake that rocked eastern Turkey climbed to 29 on Saturday night as rescue crews searched for people who remained trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, officials said.
Erdogan extends his reach into Libya, some think to restore Ottoman Empire
In what many observers see as an effort to exert substantial control over the Mediterranean in view of restoring the former glory of the Ottoman Caliphate, Turkey has begun sending Syrian mercenaries to Libya to bolster the UN-backed government there against General Khalifa Haftar and his rebels.
Standoff: U.S. troops block Russian forces from capturing Syrian oil field
U.S. troops last weekend reportedly found themselves in a standoff with Russian forces trying to gain access to key oil fields in northeastern Syria.
EU warns Turkey against ‘illegal’ Mediterranean gas exploration plans
The European Union has urged Turkey to drop plans to drill for oil and gas around Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean, saying such exploration was ‘illegal.’
UN to vote Friday on new Syria cross-border aid resolution
Facing a Friday deadline that could halt the delivery of humanitarian aid to more than 1 million Syrians every month, the divided U.N. Security Council is set to vote on rival resolutions that would continue deliveries through border crossings to mainly rebel-held areas.