An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 stuck Southwest Turkey on Tuesday, injuring at least 39 and damaging several buildings.&nbsp

As per reports, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was quoted saying no deaths had been reported so far in the district.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake, which struck at 0034 GMT, and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.21 miles).

Turkey's health minister said of those injured, 35 were still receiving treatment, according to official Anadolu news agency. The regional governor said the injuries were caused as people fled their homes in panic.&nbsp

The earthquake was felt in nearby cities -- Sanliurfa, Gaziantep, and Diyarbakir -- while some buildings in surrounding villages and districts were damaged.

The quake was followed by eight small aftershocks.Elementary and high schools closed for the day, other local media said

As per reports, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was quoted saying no deaths had been reported so far in the district

An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 stuck Southwest Turkey on Tuesday, injuring at least 39 and damaging several buildings. As per reports, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was quoted saying no deaths had been reported so far in the district. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake, which struck at 0034 GMT, and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.21 miles). Turkey's health minister said of those injured, 35 were still receiving treatment, according to official Anadolu news agency. The regional governor said the injuries were caused as people fled their homes in panic. The earthquake was felt in nearby cities -- Sanliurfa, Gaziantep, and Diyarbakir -- while some buildings in surrounding villages and districts were damaged. The quake was followed by eight small aftershocks.Elementary and high schools closed for the day, other local media said

Earthquake in Southwest Turkey injures several, damages buildings

&nbsp;Turkey&#39;s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sunday that&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;would employ an additional 110,000 public servants in 2018 including teachers, medical and religious personnel.

Speaking in the southern border town of Kilis, Yildirim said that among the total, the government would hire an extra 36,000 medical personnel and 20,000 teachers.

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Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that among the total, the government would hire an extra 36,000 medical personnel and 20,000 teachers

Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sunday that Turkey would employ an additional 110,000 public servants in 2018 including teachers, medical and religious personnel. Speaking in the southern border town of Kilis, Yildirim said that among the total, the government would hire an extra 36,000 medical personnel and 20,000 teachers.

Turkey to hire 110,000 new public servants in 2018

Turkey&#39;s electoral authority on Wednesday rejected appeals to annul a referendum granting President Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers, but the main opposition CHP party said it would maintain its legal challenge to the result.

Sunday&#39;s referendum narrowly backed the largest overhaul of Turkey&#39;s political system since the founding of the republic nearly a century ago, giving Erdogan sweeping authority over the NATO member-state.

But the tight result of a highly charged campaign laid bare divisions, while European observers and the head of Turkey&#39;s bar associations union said a decision to count unstamped votes broke electoral law.

The High Electoral Board said it had assessed appeals from the CHP and two other parties at a seven-hour meeting, and rejected them by 10 to one.

In response, CHP Deputy Chairman Bulent Tezcan said his party was considering taking its appeal to Turkey&#39;s Constitutional Court or the European Court of Human Rights.

&quot;This is a serious legitimacy crisis. We will employ all legal ways available,&quot; Tezcan said.

Separately, Istanbul police detained 19 suspects on charges of attempted provocation for organising protests against the referendum, Dogan News Agency reported.

A defiant Erdogan has dismissed the complaints, saying the vote had finally put an end to debate over the powerful presidency he has long sought.

On Wednesday, the ruling AK Party set out plans for Erdogan to gradually resume leadership of the party, a step towards implementing the changes approved in Sunday&#39;s plebiscite.

Turkey&#39;s president has been required to remain above party politics, but that condition was removed in one of the referendum&#39;s 18 amendments.

Prime Minister and AKP leader Binali Yildirim said Erdogan could rejoin the party he founded in 2001 once official results - expected before the end of the month - were announced.

But he said the AKP would not hold a party congress until 2018, indicating Erdogan would not officially become its leader until then, despite widespread expectations that it would happen almost immediately.

Unfair Referendum

The pro-Kurdish opposition HDP, which had appealed along with the CHP for the referendum to be annulled, said the late decision by the electoral board to allow unstamped ballots meant it was impossible to determine how many invalid or fake votes may have been counted.

HDP deputy chairman Mithat Sancar said the vote was also undermined by the fact that the campaign was held under emergency rule while the party&#39;s co-leaders were under arrest, that its candidates for polling station monitors had been rejected, and the &quot;Yes&quot; campaign had benefited from state resources.

&quot;This referendum will forever remain controversial,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;You cannot build a change in the political system on such a controversial and unfair referendum.&quot;

Metin Feyzioglu, head of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, said the decision to count unstamped ballots, without keeping any record of them, removed the main safeguard against voting fraud.

&quot;What makes any country a democracy is the security of the ballot boxes,&quot; Feyzioglu told Reuters. &quot; ... If your ballots are unsafe, that means that regime is not a democracy.&quot;

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a critical report by European observers on the referendum contained several mistakes, which he believed were deliberate.

Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe said Sunday&#39;s referendum had been an uneven contest.

&quot;The OSCE&#39;s report has no reliability as their observations lack objectivity and are extremely partial,&quot; Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara.

(Reuters)

Sunday's referendum narrowly backed the largest overhaul of Turkey's political system since the founding of the republic

Turkey's electoral authority on Wednesday rejected appeals to annul a referendum granting President Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers, but the main opposition CHP party said it would maintain its legal challenge to the result. Sunday's referendum narrowly backed the largest overhaul of Turkey's political system since the founding of the republic nearly a century ago, giving Erdogan sweeping authority over the NATO member-state. But the tight result of a highly charged campaign laid bare divisions, while European observers and the head of Turkey's bar associations union said a decision to count unstamped votes broke electoral law. The High Electoral Board said it had assessed appeals from the CHP and two other parties at a seven-hour meeting, and rejected them by 10 to one. In response, CHP Deputy Chairman Bulent Tezcan said his party was considering taking its appeal to Turkey's Constitutional Court or the European Court of Human Rights. "This is a serious legitimacy crisis. We will employ all legal ways available," Tezcan said. Separately, Istanbul police detained 19 suspects on charges of attempted provocation for organising protests against the referendum, Dogan News Agency reported. A defiant Erdogan has dismissed the complaints, saying the vote had finally put an end to debate over the powerful presidency he has long sought. On Wednesday, the ruling AK Party set out plans for Erdogan to gradually resume leadership of the party, a step towards implementing the changes approved in Sunday's plebiscite. Turkey's president has been required to remain above party politics, but that condition was removed in one of the referendum's 18 amendments. Prime Minister and AKP leader Binali Yildirim said Erdogan could rejoin the party he founded in 2001 once official results - expected before the end of the month - were announced. But he said the AKP would not hold a party congress until 2018, indicating Erdogan would not officially become its leader until then, despite widespread expectations that it would happen almost immediately. Unfair Referendum The pro-Kurdish opposition HDP, which had appealed along with the CHP for the referendum to be annulled, said the late decision by the electoral board to allow unstamped ballots meant it was impossible to determine how many invalid or fake votes may have been counted. HDP deputy chairman Mithat Sancar said the vote was also undermined by the fact that the campaign was held under emergency rule while the party's co-leaders were under arrest, that its candidates for polling station monitors had been rejected, and the "Yes" campaign had benefited from state resources. "This referendum will forever remain controversial," he told reporters. "You cannot build a change in the political system on such a controversial and unfair referendum." Metin Feyzioglu, head of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, said the decision to count unstamped ballots, without keeping any record of them, removed the main safeguard against voting fraud. "What makes any country a democracy is the security of the ballot boxes," Feyzioglu told Reuters. " ... If your ballots are unsafe, that means that regime is not a democracy." Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a critical report by European observers on the referendum contained several mistakes, which he believed were deliberate. Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe said Sunday's referendum had been an uneven contest. "The OSCE's report has no reliability as their observations lack objectivity and are extremely partial," Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara. (Reuters)

Turkey: Election board throws out appeal to annul referendum

Tamil megastar Rajinikanth has cancelled his&nbsp;visit to Sri Lanka to inaugurate a housing scheme in Jaffna -- home to Sri Lankan Tamils -- after he met with opposition from pro-Tamil outfits in his state. 
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VCK chief Thirumavalavan&amp;MDMK chief Vaiko urged me not to visit Sri Lanka,accepted their request because of cordial relationship-Rajinikanth <a href="https://t.co/JURKDP3V1D">pic.twitter.com/JURKDP3V1D</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/845572586423533568">March 25, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Rajinikanth was to participate in a function in Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, scheduled for April 9 and April 10, to formally hand over 150 free houses constructed for the internally displaced Tamils in the island nation.

According to reports, Tamil fringe groups like Viduthalai Chiruthaigal KAtchi (VCK), Marumarlarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMDK) and few others are opposing the actor&rsquo;s visit.&nbsp;

&ldquo;There are efforts to involve him in the ethnic issue. Superstar (Rajinikanth) should not get involved in this matter and I say this as a friend,&rdquo; VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan told a Tamil TV channel.&nbsp;

TVK founder and former MLA T Velmurugan said the actor should not &ldquo;fall prey&rdquo; to the efforts to paint a rosy picture of Sinhala-Tamil relations in the island nation.

&ldquo;At a time when Tamils are seeking justice for the ethnic violence in Sri Lanka, Rajinikanth&rsquo;s visit does not augur well. This is an attempt by Sri Lankan government through Lyca to create an image that Sinhalas and Tamils are living unitedly,&rdquo; he told PTI.

The homes have been constructed by Gnanam Foundation.&nbsp;The event is being organised by Lyca Productions, which is also producing the star&rsquo;s next release, 2.0 .&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Turkey sent troops, tanks and warplanes to support Free Syrian Army rebels, push IS fighters away from its border and stop the advance of Kurdish militia fighters

Tamil megastar Rajinikanth has cancelled his visit to Sri Lanka to inaugurate a housing scheme in Jaffna -- home to Sri Lankan Tamils -- after he met with opposition from pro-Tamil outfits in his state. VCK chief Thirumavalavan&MDMK chief Vaiko urged me not to visit Sri Lanka,accepted their request because of cordial relationship-Rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/JURKDP3V1D — ANI (@ANI_news) March 25, 2017 × Rajinikanth was to participate in a function in Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, scheduled for April 9 and April 10, to formally hand over 150 free houses constructed for the internally displaced Tamils in the island nation. According to reports, Tamil fringe groups like Viduthalai Chiruthaigal KAtchi (VCK), Marumarlarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMDK) and few others are opposing the actor’s visit. “There are efforts to involve him in the ethnic issue. Superstar (Rajinikanth) should not get involved in this matter and I say this as a friend,” VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan told a Tamil TV channel. TVK founder and former MLA T Velmurugan said the actor should not “fall prey” to the efforts to paint a rosy picture of Sinhala-Tamil relations in the island nation. “At a time when Tamils are seeking justice for the ethnic violence in Sri Lanka, Rajinikanth’s visit does not augur well. This is an attempt by Sri Lankan government through Lyca to create an image that Sinhalas and Tamils are living unitedly,” he told PTI. The homes have been constructed by Gnanam Foundation. The event is being organised by Lyca Productions, which is also producing the star’s next release, 2.0 . (WION with inputs from agencies)

Turkey ends 'Operation Euphrates Shield' in Syria: PM

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim paid a two-day&nbsp;visit to his Iraqi counterpart Haider Al-Abadi over the weekend in the attempt to restart a dialogue after relations between the two countries worsened&nbsp;in the last few months.&nbsp;

In a joint press statement, Al-Abadi requested Turkey to gradually withdraw his troops and Yildirim confirmed the commitment.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After a round of talks, the two countries have agreed to: boost their mutual effort to fight terrorism, respect&nbsp;each side&#39;s sovereignty, join efforts in post-war reconstruction, and&nbsp;resume all the investments they stopped due to the conflict. They also signed common water management projects. &nbsp;

The two heads of state also discussed the presence of a 500-soldier&nbsp;Turkish contingent on Iraqi&nbsp;soil, which was at the root&nbsp;of the diplomatic standstill.&nbsp;

In October 2016, Turkey repeatedly insisted on deploying its soldiers for the Mosul offensive, in Iraq, claiming it was their right to fight terrorists. The Iraqi prime minister denied authorisation, pointing out that their presence on its&nbsp;soil was a violation of Iraq&#39;s sovereignty. Ankara replied to the accusation,&nbsp;saying their troops entered the country on the Kurdistan Regional Government&#39;s invitation. &nbsp;

After a tough blame game, the two countries recalled their ambassadors and relations have been frozen ever since. &nbsp;

Yildrim&#39;s visit is not only about the two countries, it is part of a larger effort his country is taking to regain its powe&nbsp;in West Asia in a moment when it risks&nbsp;becoming&nbsp;isolated and vulnerable. &nbsp;

The massive purge and the round of arrests after the failed coup d&#39;&eacute;tat in July 2016 cost&nbsp;the country much of its international support. Several terror attacks have hit&nbsp;Turkey since, killing tens of citizens. The Russian ambassador was murdered in cold blood in front of the world&#39;s eyes. Kurdish autonomist organisations resumed the fight in the southeastern provinces after a fragile ceasefire broke. Iran and Lebanon are using all their influence to send money and weapons to Shia militias fighting terrorist organisations in both Iraq and Syria, a strategic move which indirectly expands their sphere of influence. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, heavily backed by Russia, is regaining momentum and he is a man Turkey has never perceived as a plausible ally. The US is providing air support to the Kurdish People&#39;s Protection Units (YPG), an organisation Ankara&nbsp;labels&nbsp;terrorists. &nbsp;

The fear of isolation is probably&nbsp;the main reason behind Turkey&#39;s decision to send troops directly within Syrian borders to attack the Islamic State.&nbsp;

Turkey-backed militias and the country&#39;s regular troops are now fighting in the vicinity of the Syrian town of Al Bab, some 40 kilometres&nbsp;from Aleppo. &nbsp;

The country had not played an active role in Syria until&nbsp;late August 2016, when they launched operation Euphrates Shield with the aim to close and secure the last 95 kilometres&nbsp;of border still under terrorist control. Many have accused&nbsp;Turkey of not&nbsp;having&nbsp;done enough to retake such a minor part of its border, through&nbsp;which IS terrorists, weapons and oil passed for five years.

Fighting the Islamic State is not&nbsp;Turkey&#39;s only aim&nbsp;in Syria though. President Erdogan has repeatedly declared his intention to stop the activities of the US-backed Kurdish and Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who are fighting boots-on-the-ground against the IS in northern Syria. The Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) are the backbone of the SDF forces, and Turkey is staunchly opposed&nbsp;to&nbsp;any&nbsp;semi-autonomous Kurdish region in Syria, whatever the cost.&nbsp;

This last intention will probably involve directly the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), an organisation fighting a three-decade war against Turkey,&nbsp;now&nbsp;headquartered&nbsp;on the Qandil mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan.&nbsp;

Recovering diplomatic and economic relations with Iraq could turn out to be vital for Turkey&nbsp;to get back on track in West Asia, where Iran is currently becoming the strongest regional actor.&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Binali Yildirim's visit is part of a larger effort Turkey is taking to avoid isolation in West Asia

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim paid a two-day visit to his Iraqi counterpart Haider Al-Abadi over the weekend in the attempt to restart a dialogue after relations between the two countries worsened in the last few months. In a joint press statement, Al-Abadi requested Turkey to gradually withdraw his troops and Yildirim confirmed the commitment. After a round of talks, the two countries have agreed to: boost their mutual effort to fight terrorism, respect each side's sovereignty, join efforts in post-war reconstruction, and resume all the investments they stopped due to the conflict. They also signed common water management projects. The two heads of state also discussed the presence of a 500-soldier Turkish contingent on Iraqi soil, which was at the root of the diplomatic standstill. In October 2016, Turkey repeatedly insisted on deploying its soldiers for the Mosul offensive, in Iraq, claiming it was their right to fight terrorists. The Iraqi prime minister denied authorisation, pointing out that their presence on its soil was a violation of Iraq's sovereignty. Ankara replied to the accusation, saying their troops entered the country on the Kurdistan Regional Government's invitation. After a tough blame game, the two countries recalled their ambassadors and relations have been frozen ever since. Yildrim's visit is not only about the two countries, it is part of a larger effort his country is taking to regain its powe in West Asia in a moment when it risks becoming isolated and vulnerable. The massive purge and the round of arrests after the failed coup d'état in July 2016 cost the country much of its international support. Several terror attacks have hit Turkey since, killing tens of citizens. The Russian ambassador was murdered in cold blood in front of the world's eyes. Kurdish autonomist organisations resumed the fight in the southeastern provinces after a fragile ceasefire broke. Iran and Lebanon are using all their influence to send money and weapons to Shia militias fighting terrorist organisations in both Iraq and Syria, a strategic move which indirectly expands their sphere of influence. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, heavily backed by Russia, is regaining momentum and he is a man Turkey has never perceived as a plausible ally. The US is providing air support to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), an organisation Ankara labels terrorists. The fear of isolation is probably the main reason behind Turkey's decision to send troops directly within Syrian borders to attack the Islamic State. Turkey-backed militias and the country's regular troops are now fighting in the vicinity of the Syrian town of Al Bab, some 40 kilometres from Aleppo. The country had not played an active role in Syria until late August 2016, when they launched operation Euphrates Shield with the aim to close and secure the last 95 kilometres of border still under terrorist control. Many have accused Turkey of not having done enough to retake such a minor part of its border, through which IS terrorists, weapons and oil passed for five years. Fighting the Islamic State is not Turkey's only aim in Syria though. President Erdogan has repeatedly declared his intention to stop the activities of the US-backed Kurdish and Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who are fighting boots-on-the-ground against the IS in northern Syria. The Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) are the backbone of the SDF forces, and Turkey is staunchly opposed to any semi-autonomous Kurdish region in Syria, whatever the cost. This last intention will probably involve directly the Kurdistan Workers party (PKK), an organisation fighting a three-decade war against Turkey, now headquartered on the Qandil mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan. Recovering diplomatic and economic relations with Iraq could turn out to be vital for Turkey to get back on track in West Asia, where Iran is currently becoming the strongest regional actor. (WION)

Turkey Prime Minister travels to Iraq to mend relations

<div style="text-align: justify;">Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim declared on Sunday that Turkish army and rebels belonging to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) finally secured 95 km of Turkish-Syrian border which were under the control of the Islamic State (IS).&nbsp; 
 
Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, this border segment has served as a supply corridor for terrorists, allowing goods, weapons and foreign fighters to enter Syria.&nbsp; 
 
Turkish soldiers and FSA rebels are fighting to secure the inner part of the area. Their main objective is to move south and reach the city of Al-Bab, an IS stronghold.&nbsp; 
 
The Free Syrian Army was created by a group of army deserters in 2011 in opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. During the conflict, the group fragmented and it is reported that many of its fighters joined Islamic State&#39;s ranks.&nbsp; 
 
The Turkish and FSA offensive is part of Operation Euphrates Shield, started on August 24 from the border city of Jarablus, on the western banks of the Euphrates. &nbsp; 
 
The river is the longest of western Asia. It starts from Turkey, flows through Syria and Iraq before flowing into the Persian Gulf. Since ancient times, it represents a vital waterway to move men and goods throughout the whole of West Asia. &nbsp; 
 
The majority of its Syrian flow is currently under IS control but the loss of Jarablus prevents them access from Turkey, depriving them of a fundamental entry point.&nbsp; 
 
It remains unclear why Turkey did not secure this area before.&nbsp; 
 
The border line running from the city of Jarablus to the city of Al-Rai stands between the Syrian region of Rojava, a Kurdish-controlled area, and the Kurdish constituency of Afrin. Both these locations are under the control of the Yek&icirc;ney&ecirc;n Parastina Gel (YPG), the People&#39;s Protection Unit, a &nbsp;Kurdish army which is fighting on the ground since 2012 against the Islamic State.&nbsp; 
 
YPG is an official US ally, its members have been trained by American military personnel. It has the characteristics of a guerrilla force which relies on surprise and speedy action and has a significant component of women fighters within its rank and file. 
 
Its main task is to enter cities and villages after US airstrikes to clear the Islamic State&#39;s pockets of resistance.&nbsp; 
 
The Turkish government considers the YPG a terrorist organisation and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that they will not accept the existence of a Kurdish region right across their border.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We will never allow an artificial state in Northern Syria,&quot; he said on Sunday. &nbsp; 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/syrian_civil_war-20160905112255.png" />
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A map describing the current situation in Syria. (Courtesy: Wikipedia)
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Operation Euphrates Shield allows Turkey to take control of an area that will make it impossible for the two Kurdish regions to reunite. Relations between Turkey and the Kurdish population have&nbsp;never been easy. Kurds are an ethnic group spread between Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq and have long asked and fought for an independent state, Kurdistan, located across these nations. The request has never been considered feasible by Turkey&nbsp;whose territory would be the most affected. Turkey&nbsp;is home to more than ten million Kurds. &nbsp;
</div>
This denial resulted in a two-decade long Kurdish insurgency characterised by violence on both sides. The European Court of Human Rights has reported thousands of human rights violations, including executions, torture, forced displacements, village destructions and arbitrary arrests perpetrated by the Turkish government against the Kurdish population.&nbsp; 
 
Ankara believes that the YPG is just its extension and that a Kurdish stronghold, right across the border, could give a new lifeline to the Kurds living in Turkey. Turkey is scared that it will bolster their separatist spirit. &nbsp; 
 
Attacking the YPG means attacking a formal US ally but Turkey belongs to NATO. This puts Washington in a tricky situation.&nbsp; 
 
During the first phase of Operation Euphrates Shield, the Turkish army declared to have killed 25 &ldquo;Kurdish terrorists,&rdquo; an action that has been judged by the US Department of State &quot;unacceptable and a source of deep concern.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The United States &quot;were not involved in these activities, they were not coordinated with US forces, and we do not support them,&quot; said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook.&nbsp; 
 
When Turkish forces and Free Syrian Army rebels entered the city of Jarablus, they ordered the Kurds to retreat to the eastern bank of the Euphrates river, a request that was immediately supported by the US.&nbsp; 
 
The YPG high command has sent an official Tweet, requesting its fighters not to fight back and reminding them that the true enemy is the Islamic State and not Turkey.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YPG?src=hash">#YPG</a>&rsquo;s Command: Repeated <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Turkey?src=hash">#Turkey</a> Army&rsquo;s assaults on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rojava?src=hash">#Rojava</a>/Northern <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash">#Syria</a> border in Derik, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kobane?src=hash">#Kobane</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Efrin?src=hash">#Efrin</a>, Aug 27 <a href="https://t.co/eLXAIj7J7S">pic.twitter.com/eLXAIj7J7S</a>
&mdash; Rojava Defense Units (@DefenseUnits) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenseUnits/status/769506841772556288">27 August 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
It is, nonetheless, unlikely that the situation will remain stable for long. Even if Kurds are not yet responding, they make no bones about their intention to remain in Rojava after &ndash; and if &ndash; the war is over.&nbsp; 
 
President Erdogan is also clear about his programme. He said in a statement that the offensive would continue until &quot;the threat of Islamic State and YPG/PKK is over.&quot; &nbsp; 
 
US defence secretary Ashton Carter said he had appealed to both sides not to fight. &quot;That&#39;s the basis of our cooperation with both of them, specifically not to engage one another,&quot; he said. &nbsp; 
 
Ankara denied the existence of any official ceasefire and does not seem to be willing to change its mind. During a meeting with US President Obama, the first after the coup, on Sunday at the G20 summit in Hangzhou, President Erdogan said, &ldquo;We have to embrace the same stance against all terrorist organisations around the world.&rdquo; &ldquo;Our hope is never to see a belt of terrorism, a corridor of terrorism emerging in or around our region.&rdquo; &nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist; every kind of terrorism is bad,&rdquo; Erdogan said after the meeting with Obama, the Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported. &nbsp; 
 
Operation Euphrates Shield is a stress test for US-Turkey relations which are at its lowest after the failed Turkey coup and the allegations made by President Erdogan of a possible US role in it. Ankara has been demanding the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based cleric who they believe to be the mastermind behind the coup.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
(WION)</div>

The Turkish military's offensive inside Syria is a stress test for US-Turkey relations

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim declared on Sunday that Turkish army and rebels belonging to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) finally secured 95 km of Turkish-Syrian border which were under the control of the Islamic State (IS). Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, this border segment has served as a supply corridor for terrorists, allowing goods, weapons and foreign fighters to enter Syria. Turkish soldiers and FSA rebels are fighting to secure the inner part of the area. Their main objective is to move south and reach the city of Al-Bab, an IS stronghold. The Free Syrian Army was created by a group of army deserters in 2011 in opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. During the conflict, the group fragmented and it is reported that many of its fighters joined Islamic State's ranks. The Turkish and FSA offensive is part of Operation Euphrates Shield, started on August 24 from the border city of Jarablus, on the western banks of the Euphrates. The river is the longest of western Asia. It starts from Turkey, flows through Syria and Iraq before flowing into the Persian Gulf. Since ancient times, it represents a vital waterway to move men and goods throughout the whole of West Asia. The majority of its Syrian flow is currently under IS control but the loss of Jarablus prevents them access from Turkey, depriving them of a fundamental entry point. It remains unclear why Turkey did not secure this area before. The border line running from the city of Jarablus to the city of Al-Rai stands between the Syrian region of Rojava, a Kurdish-controlled area, and the Kurdish constituency of Afrin. Both these locations are under the control of the Yekîneyên Parastina Gel (YPG), the People's Protection Unit, a Kurdish army which is fighting on the ground since 2012 against the Islamic State. YPG is an official US ally, its members have been trained by American military personnel. It has the characteristics of a guerrilla force which relies on surprise and speedy action and has a significant component of women fighters within its rank and file. Its main task is to enter cities and villages after US airstrikes to clear the Islamic State's pockets of resistance. The Turkish government considers the YPG a terrorist organisation and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that they will not accept the existence of a Kurdish region right across their border. "We will never allow an artificial state in Northern Syria," he said on Sunday. A map describing the current situation in Syria. (Courtesy: Wikipedia) Operation Euphrates Shield allows Turkey to take control of an area that will make it impossible for the two Kurdish regions to reunite. Relations between Turkey and the Kurdish population have never been easy. Kurds are an ethnic group spread between Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq and have long asked and fought for an independent state, Kurdistan, located across these nations. The request has never been considered feasible by Turkey whose territory would be the most affected. Turkey is home to more than ten million Kurds. This denial resulted in a two-decade long Kurdish insurgency characterised by violence on both sides. The European Court of Human Rights has reported thousands of human rights violations, including executions, torture, forced displacements, village destructions and arbitrary arrests perpetrated by the Turkish government against the Kurdish population. Ankara believes that the YPG is just its extension and that a Kurdish stronghold, right across the border, could give a new lifeline to the Kurds living in Turkey. Turkey is scared that it will bolster their separatist spirit. Attacking the YPG means attacking a formal US ally but Turkey belongs to NATO. This puts Washington in a tricky situation. During the first phase of Operation Euphrates Shield, the Turkish army declared to have killed 25 “Kurdish terrorists,” an action that has been judged by the US Department of State "unacceptable and a source of deep concern." The United States "were not involved in these activities, they were not coordinated with US forces, and we do not support them," said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook. When Turkish forces and Free Syrian Army rebels entered the city of Jarablus, they ordered the Kurds to retreat to the eastern bank of the Euphrates river, a request that was immediately supported by the US. The YPG high command has sent an official Tweet, requesting its fighters not to fight back and reminding them that the true enemy is the Islamic State and not Turkey. #YPG’s Command: Repeated #Turkey Army’s assaults on #Rojava/Northern #Syria border in Derik, #Kobane, #Efrin, Aug 27 pic.twitter.com/eLXAIj7J7S — Rojava Defense Units (@DefenseUnits) 27 August 2016 It is, nonetheless, unlikely that the situation will remain stable for long. Even if Kurds are not yet responding, they make no bones about their intention to remain in Rojava after – and if – the war is over. President Erdogan is also clear about his programme. He said in a statement that the offensive would continue until "the threat of Islamic State and YPG/PKK is over." US defence secretary Ashton Carter said he had appealed to both sides not to fight. "That's the basis of our cooperation with both of them, specifically not to engage one another," he said. Ankara denied the existence of any official ceasefire and does not seem to be willing to change its mind. During a meeting with US President Obama, the first after the coup, on Sunday at the G20 summit in Hangzhou, President Erdogan said, “We have to embrace the same stance against all terrorist organisations around the world.” “Our hope is never to see a belt of terrorism, a corridor of terrorism emerging in or around our region.” “There is no good terrorist or bad terrorist; every kind of terrorism is bad,” Erdogan said after the meeting with Obama, the Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Operation Euphrates Shield is a stress test for US-Turkey relations which are at its lowest after the failed Turkey coup and the allegations made by President Erdogan of a possible US role in it. Ankara has been demanding the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based cleric who they believe to be the mastermind behind the coup. (WION)

Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield: Ankara may be fighting IS but the Kurds are also in gunsight

Turkey admitted on Monday there may have been some &quot;unfair&quot; treatment in its post-coup crackdown as it voiced anger at Germany for barring President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from addressing a rally in Cologne. 
 
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a top-ranking US that his government remained committed to principles of law in its fight against coup plotters and called for Washington to extradite US-based preacher Fethullan Gulen &quot;as soon as possible&quot;. 
 
Ankara accuses Gulen of masterminding the coup and says it is seeking to remove all trace of his influence in Turkish institutions. 
 
Apparently responding to widening international alarm about the crackdown, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim admitted there may have been some unfair treatment in the state sector. 
 
&quot;There must definitely be some among them who were subjected to unfair procedures,&quot; he said in comments published by state-run Anadolu news agency. 
 
&quot;We will make a distinction between those who are guilty and those who are not.&quot; 
 
Echoing Yildirim&#39;s tone, deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said: &quot;If there are any mistakes, we will correct them&quot;. 
 
Retaliating after a failed military attempt to unseat him, Erdogan has launched a purge that has seen tens of thousands of people suspended from their jobs and almost 19,000 detained. 
 
Germany bars live speeches from Turkish politicians, including Erdogan&nbsp; 
 
Turkey meanwhile summoned a senior German diplomat, a day after a rally of tens of thousands of Erdogan supporters in Cologne in opposition to the coup. 
 
Hours before the demonstration, Germany&#39;s constitutional court rejected an application to show via video link live speeches from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, over fears they could work up the crowd. 
 
The decision sparked anger in Turkey, with presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin calling the move a &quot;violation of the freedom of expression and the right to free assembly&quot;. 
 
A spokeswoman for the German embassy in Ankara told AFP that the charge d`affaires had &quot;been summoned to the Turkish foreign ministry at 1:00 pm (1000 GMT)&quot; on Monday over the rally. 
 
Turkish foreign ministry sources said the envoy was summoned to &quot;strongly express our disappointment&quot; over the ban on a popularly elected leader from addressing the rally and called the German approach &quot;unacceptable.&quot; 
 
But Germany, which is home to the largest portion of Turkey&#39;s diaspora, played down the incident, saying such &quot;invitations&quot; were nothing out of the ordinary.&nbsp; 
 
General Joseph Dunford met with Yildirim, as well as Turkish chief of staff Hulusi Akar to &quot;deliver messages condemning in the strongest terms the recent coup attempt and reaffirming the importance of our enduring partnership for regional security,&quot; Dunford`s spokesman Greg Hicks said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
Yildirim told the US general to extradite &quot;terrorist group leader Fetullah Gulen and members of FETO to our country as soon as possible,&quot; his office said in a statement after the meeting, referring to what Turkey calls the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO). 
 
&quot;It is important that the United States, our strategic partner and ally, demonstrates a clear and determined approach against the terrorist coup attempt,&quot; Yildirim told the general. 
 
Tensions between the two NATO allies have been aggravated by the foiled putsch, with some Turkish officials even alleging that Washington could have had a hand in the plot. The suggestion has been firmly denied by top US officials. 
 
Last week, Erdogan lashed out at the top US general in the Middle East, General Joseph Votel, after he expressed concerns about the future of military relations between the two allies in the wake of the putsch. During their meeting, the Turkish premier also told Dunford that the Turkish armed forces were fulfilling its duties &quot;at full capacity&quot; after the reshuffling in the wake of the coup attempt and said that cooperation continued &quot;uninterrupted&quot; with the US and other allies in the fight against terrorist groups including the Islamic State. 
 
Before his meetings with the Turkish officials, the US general visited Incirlik air base - used by coalition planes for air raids on IS in Syria.&nbsp; 
 
Unexpectedly, Dunford also toured the Turkish parliament which was extensively damaged by rebel air strikes on the night of the coup, seen as a symbolic gesture. 
 
Meanwhile Turkey on Monday said it had arrested 11 fugitive soldiers suspected of involvement in an attack on Erdogan`s hotel during the night of the coup. 
 
Erdogan was staying in the western seaside resort of Marmaris on July 15 but dashed to Istanbul just before the hotel came under attack from rebel soldiers determined to oust him from power. 
 
Just one soldier from the attack group now remains at large, Kurtulmus said. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Ankara has called for Washington to extradite US-based preacher Fetullan Gullen, who it accuses of masterminding the coup

Turkey admitted on Monday there may have been some "unfair" treatment in its post-coup crackdown as it voiced anger at Germany for barring President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from addressing a rally in Cologne. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a top-ranking US that his government remained committed to principles of law in its fight against coup plotters and called for Washington to extradite US-based preacher Fethullan Gulen "as soon as possible". Ankara accuses Gulen of masterminding the coup and says it is seeking to remove all trace of his influence in Turkish institutions. Apparently responding to widening international alarm about the crackdown, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim admitted there may have been some unfair treatment in the state sector. "There must definitely be some among them who were subjected to unfair procedures," he said in comments published by state-run Anadolu news agency. "We will make a distinction between those who are guilty and those who are not." Echoing Yildirim's tone, deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said: "If there are any mistakes, we will correct them". Retaliating after a failed military attempt to unseat him, Erdogan has launched a purge that has seen tens of thousands of people suspended from their jobs and almost 19,000 detained. Germany bars live speeches from Turkish politicians, including Erdogan Turkey meanwhile summoned a senior German diplomat, a day after a rally of tens of thousands of Erdogan supporters in Cologne in opposition to the coup. Hours before the demonstration, Germany's constitutional court rejected an application to show via video link live speeches from Turkey by politicians including Erdogan, over fears they could work up the crowd. The decision sparked anger in Turkey, with presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin calling the move a "violation of the freedom of expression and the right to free assembly". A spokeswoman for the German embassy in Ankara told AFP that the charge d`affaires had "been summoned to the Turkish foreign ministry at 1:00 pm (1000 GMT)" on Monday over the rally. Turkish foreign ministry sources said the envoy was summoned to "strongly express our disappointment" over the ban on a popularly elected leader from addressing the rally and called the German approach "unacceptable." But Germany, which is home to the largest portion of Turkey's diaspora, played down the incident, saying such "invitations" were nothing out of the ordinary. General Joseph Dunford met with Yildirim, as well as Turkish chief of staff Hulusi Akar to "deliver messages condemning in the strongest terms the recent coup attempt and reaffirming the importance of our enduring partnership for regional security," Dunford`s spokesman Greg Hicks said in a statement. Yildirim told the US general to extradite "terrorist group leader Fetullah Gulen and members of FETO to our country as soon as possible," his office said in a statement after the meeting, referring to what Turkey calls the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO). "It is important that the United States, our strategic partner and ally, demonstrates a clear and determined approach against the terrorist coup attempt," Yildirim told the general. Tensions between the two NATO allies have been aggravated by the foiled putsch, with some Turkish officials even alleging that Washington could have had a hand in the plot. The suggestion has been firmly denied by top US officials. Last week, Erdogan lashed out at the top US general in the Middle East, General Joseph Votel, after he expressed concerns about the future of military relations between the two allies in the wake of the putsch. During their meeting, the Turkish premier also told Dunford that the Turkish armed forces were fulfilling its duties "at full capacity" after the reshuffling in the wake of the coup attempt and said that cooperation continued "uninterrupted" with the US and other allies in the fight against terrorist groups including the Islamic State. Before his meetings with the Turkish officials, the US general visited Incirlik air base - used by coalition planes for air raids on IS in Syria. Unexpectedly, Dunford also toured the Turkish parliament which was extensively damaged by rebel air strikes on the night of the coup, seen as a symbolic gesture. Meanwhile Turkey on Monday said it had arrested 11 fugitive soldiers suspected of involvement in an attack on Erdogan`s hotel during the night of the coup. Erdogan was staying in the western seaside resort of Marmaris on July 15 but dashed to Istanbul just before the hotel came under attack from rebel soldiers determined to oust him from power. Just one soldier from the attack group now remains at large, Kurtulmus said. (AFP)

Turkey admits to 'unfair' dismissals in post-coup crackdown

Turkey&#39;s prime minister warned yesterday that the crackdown following a failed coup was not over, as authorities issued arrest warrants for dozens of former newspaper staff. 
 
A senior minister also revealed that a major army shake-up had been planned just before the putsch - suggesting elements in the military made the dramatic move because they knew they were about to be purged. 
 
Since the attempted power grab on the night of July 15, more than 15,000 people have been detained and more than 8,000 of them remain in custody, according to the latest interior ministry figures. 
 
&quot;The investigation is continuing, there are people who are being searched for. There could be new apprehensions, arrests and detentions,&quot; Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told Sky News, according to the network&#39;s translation of his remarks. 
 
&quot;The process is not completed yet,&quot; he said. 
 
In the attempted coup, renegade soldiers sought to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but were stopped by crowds of civilians and loyalist security forces. 
 
At least 270 people were killed on both sides. 
 
Turkey blames the botched putsch on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who strongly denies the accusations and demands that the United States resist calls for his extradition. 
 
But Yildirim said Turkey was &quot;determined&quot; to secure his removal. 
 
&quot;We shared all the details with them and, from this point on, the task falls on the shoulders of the US government,&quot; the prime minister said. 
 
&#39;Planned purge&#39; 
 
Energy minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan&#39;s son-in-law, said Turkish authorities had been planning a major purge of the military and other institutions to remove Gulen-linked elements ahead of the coup attempt. 
 
&quot;They were going to take really important steps to remove Gulenist officers and generals from the armed forces. We were already working on this,&quot; said Albayrak, who was with Erdogan on the coup night. 
 
Turkey yesterday issued arrest warrants for 47 former staff of the once pro-Gulen Zaman newspaper suspected of links to the reclusive cleric. 
 
An official who declined to be named said the swoop covered &quot;executives and some staff including columnists&quot;, describing Zaman as the &quot;flagship media organisation&quot; of the Gulen-led movement. 
 
In March, Zaman and its English-language sister newspaper Today&#39;s Zaman were taken over by state-appointed administrators and it has since taken a strongly pro-government line. 
 
Several former staff are believed to have since left Turkey. 
 
The official insisted the warrants were not related to what individual columnists had previously said or written. 
 
But &quot;prominent employees of Zaman are likely to have intimate knowledge of the Gulen network and as such could benefit the investigation&quot;, the official explained. 
 
Earlier in the week, Turkey issued another 42 arrest warrants for journalists, 16 of whom have so far been detained according to state-run news agency Anadolu. 
 
Military reshuffle 
 
A large-scale shake-up of the Turkish armed forces is expected to be announced when the country&#39;s Supreme Military Council meets on today. 
 
More than 10,000 soldiers and around half of the 358 generals serving in Turkey have been detained, leaving gaping holes in the command structure to be filled. 
 
Tens of thousands of Turkish civilians have lost their jobs since July 15. 
 
The first worker in the private financial sector to be affected is AK Investment&#39;s research director Mert Ulke, after the financial regulator cancelled his licence following his report on the failed coup. 
 
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed deep concern about the ongoing wave of arrests in Turkey following the putsch. 
 
The EU meanwhile appointed a new ambassador to Turkey and repeated warnings that Ankara must respect democracy and human rights for ties to prosper. 
 
(AFP)

Turkey's energy minister said authorities had been planning a major purge of the military and other institutions ahead of the coup attempt

Turkey's prime minister warned yesterday that the crackdown following a failed coup was not over, as authorities issued arrest warrants for dozens of former newspaper staff. A senior minister also revealed that a major army shake-up had been planned just before the putsch - suggesting elements in the military made the dramatic move because they knew they were about to be purged. Since the attempted power grab on the night of July 15, more than 15,000 people have been detained and more than 8,000 of them remain in custody, according to the latest interior ministry figures. "The investigation is continuing, there are people who are being searched for. There could be new apprehensions, arrests and detentions," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told Sky News, according to the network's translation of his remarks. "The process is not completed yet," he said. In the attempted coup, renegade soldiers sought to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan but were stopped by crowds of civilians and loyalist security forces. At least 270 people were killed on both sides. Turkey blames the botched putsch on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who strongly denies the accusations and demands that the United States resist calls for his extradition. But Yildirim said Turkey was "determined" to secure his removal. "We shared all the details with them and, from this point on, the task falls on the shoulders of the US government," the prime minister said. 'Planned purge' Energy minister Berat Albayrak, who is Erdogan's son-in-law, said Turkish authorities had been planning a major purge of the military and other institutions to remove Gulen-linked elements ahead of the coup attempt. "They were going to take really important steps to remove Gulenist officers and generals from the armed forces. We were already working on this," said Albayrak, who was with Erdogan on the coup night. Turkey yesterday issued arrest warrants for 47 former staff of the once pro-Gulen Zaman newspaper suspected of links to the reclusive cleric. An official who declined to be named said the swoop covered "executives and some staff including columnists", describing Zaman as the "flagship media organisation" of the Gulen-led movement. In March, Zaman and its English-language sister newspaper Today's Zaman were taken over by state-appointed administrators and it has since taken a strongly pro-government line. Several former staff are believed to have since left Turkey. The official insisted the warrants were not related to what individual columnists had previously said or written. But "prominent employees of Zaman are likely to have intimate knowledge of the Gulen network and as such could benefit the investigation", the official explained. Earlier in the week, Turkey issued another 42 arrest warrants for journalists, 16 of whom have so far been detained according to state-run news agency Anadolu. Military reshuffle A large-scale shake-up of the Turkish armed forces is expected to be announced when the country's Supreme Military Council meets on today. More than 10,000 soldiers and around half of the 358 generals serving in Turkey have been detained, leaving gaping holes in the command structure to be filled. Tens of thousands of Turkish civilians have lost their jobs since July 15. The first worker in the private financial sector to be affected is AK Investment's research director Mert Ulke, after the financial regulator cancelled his licence following his report on the failed coup. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed deep concern about the ongoing wave of arrests in Turkey following the putsch. The EU meanwhile appointed a new ambassador to Turkey and repeated warnings that Ankara must respect democracy and human rights for ties to prosper. (AFP)

Turkey PM warns post-coup crackdown not over

The Turkish government is ready to work with all the main opposition parties in drafting a new constitution, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said yesterday, after months of deadlock on the issue. 
 
&quot;All the main parties are ready to start work on a new constitution,&quot; Yildirim told reporters in Ankara, saying that this was made clear in a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and two opposition leaders earlier in the day. 
 
He said that in a first step a &quot;small amendment&quot; would be made to the constitution in the aftermath of the July 15 attempted putsch, without specifying further. 
 
&quot;There will be a small change to remove obstacles from the constitution and the work is underway to do this,&quot; Yildirim said. 
 
He added that work would then begin on a brand new constitution, an issue that has been one of the most controversial issues in Turkish politics over the last few months. 
 
The current constitution was drawn up in the wake of 1980 coup and the government has long called for it to be changed. 
 
Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) want to introduce an executive presidential system but the prime minister did not mention this in his speech. 
 
Erdogan, whose AKP holds the majority in parliament, earlier met with Republican People&#39;s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chief Devlet Bahceli in a meeting aimed at finding political harmony after the coup. 
 
The head of the pro-Kurdish Peoples&#39; Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas was not invited to the palace talks but Yildirim said the HDP could also take part in talks on the constitution. 
 
Yildirim confirmed that the gendarmerie, which looks after domestic security, and the coastguard would also be brought under the control of the interior ministry instead of the army. 
 
(AFP)

Prime Minister Yildirim said a small change to remove obstacles from the constitution would be made, without giving further details

The Turkish government is ready to work with all the main opposition parties in drafting a new constitution, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said yesterday, after months of deadlock on the issue. "All the main parties are ready to start work on a new constitution," Yildirim told reporters in Ankara, saying that this was made clear in a meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and two opposition leaders earlier in the day. He said that in a first step a "small amendment" would be made to the constitution in the aftermath of the July 15 attempted putsch, without specifying further. "There will be a small change to remove obstacles from the constitution and the work is underway to do this," Yildirim said. He added that work would then begin on a brand new constitution, an issue that has been one of the most controversial issues in Turkish politics over the last few months. The current constitution was drawn up in the wake of 1980 coup and the government has long called for it to be changed. Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) want to introduce an executive presidential system but the prime minister did not mention this in his speech. Erdogan, whose AKP holds the majority in parliament, earlier met with Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chief Devlet Bahceli in a meeting aimed at finding political harmony after the coup. The head of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas was not invited to the palace talks but Yildirim said the HDP could also take part in talks on the constitution. Yildirim confirmed that the gendarmerie, which looks after domestic security, and the coastguard would also be brought under the control of the interior ministry instead of the army. (AFP)

Turkey govt to work with opposition on new constitution

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today that the risk of another coup had not disappeared, but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. 
 
One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup, in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. 
 
&quot;The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious,&quot; Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey&#39;s institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup. 
 
(Reuters)

Yildirim urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today that the risk of another coup had not disappeared, but said the government and other institutions were in control of the situation. One week after a faction of the Turkish military staged a brief but abortive coup, in which an estimated 246 people were killed, Yildirim also urged Turks to stay calm and said life had returned to normal, adding there was no room for complacency. "The danger has not ended but our citizens should not be anxious," Yildirim told reporters, adding that Turkey's institutions were guided by the rule of law, not by any desire for revenge, in dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup. (Reuters)

Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim says risk of second coup attempt not over

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim today warned against exacting revenge on supporters of the failed coup, as Ankara arrested top generals in a relentless crackdown that has sparked global alarm. 
 
&quot;One mistake cannot be corrected with another mistake. Turkey is a state with law. We are setting things right within the framework of the law. Those who committed wrong will face the Turkish justice system,&quot; Yildirim told reporters, speaking alongside Turkey&#39;s main opposition party leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. 
 
Yildirim said the country must avoid the risk that some people may try to exploit the current situation. 
 
Erdogan has denounced the coup bid, which left more than 300 dead on all sides, as a treacherous bid to oust him from power devised from the US compound of his arch-enemy, exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. 
 
But with the authorities detaining over 7,500 so far in a massive legal crackdown and sacking almost 9,000, Turkey&#39;s EU and NATO allies have urged Ankara to keep the rule of law in place. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has sent shudders through Europe and sparked warnings such a move would be the nail in the coffin of its already embattled bid to join the EU. 
 
An Ankara court on late Monday placed under arrest 26 former generals suspected of planning Friday&#39;s attempted power grab, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, whom some Turkish media have painted as the mastermind of the plot. 
 
The generals have now been put behind bars ahead of their trials, a date for which has not been sent. 
 
They have been charged with crimes including seeking to overturn the constitutional order, leading an armed group and seeking to assassinate the president. 
 
In his statement to prosecutors, Ozturk denied he was the coup ringleader. 
 
&quot;I am not the person who planned or led the coup. Who planned it and directed it, I do not know,&quot; state-run news agency Anadolu quoted him as saying. 
 
&#39;Betrayal of Turkish nation&#39; 
 
Turkey&#39;s treatment of the suspects has alarmed its allies especially after some were paraded before the media and shown being subjected to rough treatment. 
 
Anadolu published images of Ozturk and other suspects on the stairs inside the Ankara courthouse, staring blankly into the camera with their hands tied behind their backs. 
 
Ozturk has looked tired and haggard in images published by state media, with one of his ears heavily bandaged. 
 
Images have also emerged of government supporters physically attacking coup backers when they were detained. 
 
&quot;Nobody can have a feeling of revenge. This is unacceptable in a state governed by rule of law,&quot; Yildirim said after meeting secular opposition Republican People&#39;s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. 
 
The interior ministry said almost 9,000 people, including nearly 8,000 police but also municipal governors and other officials, had also been dismissed in a widening purge. 
 
Turkey has blamed Friday&#39;s events on supporters within the military of Gulen, who Ankara accused of running a group it dubs the &quot;Fetullahci Terror Organisation&quot; (FETO). 
 
Ankara has piled the pressure on Washington to extradite Gulen to face trial at home but US secretary of state John Kerry said Monday he wanted to see evidence and not allegations. 
 
Yildirim said Tuesday that Turkey had sent four dossiers to the United States over Gulen&#39;s alleged links to the overthrow plot. 
 
The reclusive cleric said in an interview with several media outlets including AFP at his compound in the US state of Pennsylvania that he has &quot;no concerns personally&quot; about the extradition request. 
 
&quot;The rule of law reigns supreme here. I don&#39;t believe this government will pay attention to anything that is not legally sound,&quot; he said. 
 
He called the putsch attempt &quot;treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation.&quot; 
 
&#39;Cracking down not justice&#39; 
 
Turkey abolished the death penalty for all forms of crime in 2004 but the government now claims there is growing public pressure to reinstate it for the coup plotters. 
 
Erdogan told CNN in his first media interview since the coup bid that he would approve any decision by parliament to reintroduce capital punishment. 
 
&quot;There is a clear crime of treason,&quot; he said. 
 
But the EU -- which Turkey has for years tried to join in a stalled accession process -- warned of the consequences of such a move. 
 
&quot;No country can become an EU state if it introduces the death penalty,&quot; EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said. 
 
Amnesty International said it was alarmed by the widening crackdown. 
 
&quot;Cracking down on dissent and threatening to bring back the death penalty are not justice,&quot; said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty&#39;s director for Europe and Central Asia. 
 
Erdogan has remained in Istanbul ever since he dramatically flew back on Saturday to the city from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. 
 
It was unclear when he would be returning to the capital Ankara. Every night since the coup he has spoken to supporters in the Istanbul district of Kisikli, where he has a home, urging them to maintain a &quot;vigil&quot; for democracy. 
 
Erdogan told CNN his life had been in grave danger. &quot;If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them.&quot; 
 
Yildirim said 208 people were killed during the coup bid, including 145 civilians, 60 police and three loyalist soldiers. The military said 104 coup plotters were killed. 
 
In an intriguing twist, a Turkish official said two Turkish pilots who played a role in the downing of a Russian plane in November that led to a crisis in ties between Moscow and Ankara are in custody over the failed coup. 
 
(Agencies)

Turkish authorities have more than 7,500 suspects in custody. Turkey's EU and NATO allies have urged Ankara to keep the rule of law in place

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim today warned against exacting revenge on supporters of the failed coup, as Ankara arrested top generals in a relentless crackdown that has sparked global alarm. "One mistake cannot be corrected with another mistake. Turkey is a state with law. We are setting things right within the framework of the law. Those who committed wrong will face the Turkish justice system," Yildirim told reporters, speaking alongside Turkey's main opposition party leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Yildirim said the country must avoid the risk that some people may try to exploit the current situation. Erdogan has denounced the coup bid, which left more than 300 dead on all sides, as a treacherous bid to oust him from power devised from the US compound of his arch-enemy, exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen. But with the authorities detaining over 7,500 so far in a massive legal crackdown and sacking almost 9,000, Turkey's EU and NATO allies have urged Ankara to keep the rule of law in place. Erdogan's suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has sent shudders through Europe and sparked warnings such a move would be the nail in the coffin of its already embattled bid to join the EU. An Ankara court on late Monday placed under arrest 26 former generals suspected of planning Friday's attempted power grab, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, whom some Turkish media have painted as the mastermind of the plot. The generals have now been put behind bars ahead of their trials, a date for which has not been sent. They have been charged with crimes including seeking to overturn the constitutional order, leading an armed group and seeking to assassinate the president. In his statement to prosecutors, Ozturk denied he was the coup ringleader. "I am not the person who planned or led the coup. Who planned it and directed it, I do not know," state-run news agency Anadolu quoted him as saying. 'Betrayal of Turkish nation' Turkey's treatment of the suspects has alarmed its allies especially after some were paraded before the media and shown being subjected to rough treatment. Anadolu published images of Ozturk and other suspects on the stairs inside the Ankara courthouse, staring blankly into the camera with their hands tied behind their backs. Ozturk has looked tired and haggard in images published by state media, with one of his ears heavily bandaged. Images have also emerged of government supporters physically attacking coup backers when they were detained. "Nobody can have a feeling of revenge. This is unacceptable in a state governed by rule of law," Yildirim said after meeting secular opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The interior ministry said almost 9,000 people, including nearly 8,000 police but also municipal governors and other officials, had also been dismissed in a widening purge. Turkey has blamed Friday's events on supporters within the military of Gulen, who Ankara accused of running a group it dubs the "Fetullahci Terror Organisation" (FETO). Ankara has piled the pressure on Washington to extradite Gulen to face trial at home but US secretary of state John Kerry said Monday he wanted to see evidence and not allegations. Yildirim said Tuesday that Turkey had sent four dossiers to the United States over Gulen's alleged links to the overthrow plot. The reclusive cleric said in an interview with several media outlets including AFP at his compound in the US state of Pennsylvania that he has "no concerns personally" about the extradition request. "The rule of law reigns supreme here. I don't believe this government will pay attention to anything that is not legally sound," he said. He called the putsch attempt "treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation." 'Cracking down not justice' Turkey abolished the death penalty for all forms of crime in 2004 but the government now claims there is growing public pressure to reinstate it for the coup plotters. Erdogan told CNN in his first media interview since the coup bid that he would approve any decision by parliament to reintroduce capital punishment. "There is a clear crime of treason," he said. But the EU -- which Turkey has for years tried to join in a stalled accession process -- warned of the consequences of such a move. "No country can become an EU state if it introduces the death penalty," EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said. Amnesty International said it was alarmed by the widening crackdown. "Cracking down on dissent and threatening to bring back the death penalty are not justice," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty's director for Europe and Central Asia. Erdogan has remained in Istanbul ever since he dramatically flew back on Saturday to the city from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. It was unclear when he would be returning to the capital Ankara. Every night since the coup he has spoken to supporters in the Istanbul district of Kisikli, where he has a home, urging them to maintain a "vigil" for democracy. Erdogan told CNN his life had been in grave danger. "If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them." Yildirim said 208 people were killed during the coup bid, including 145 civilians, 60 police and three loyalist soldiers. The military said 104 coup plotters were killed. In an intriguing twist, a Turkish official said two Turkish pilots who played a role in the downing of a Russian plane in November that led to a crisis in ties between Moscow and Ankara are in custody over the failed coup. (Agencies)

Turkey jails generals as Erdogan vows to adhere to rule of law in coup plotters' prosecution

Forces loyal to the Turkish government fought today to crush the remnants of a military coup attempt which crumbled after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. 
 
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 161 were killed in the coup attempt against the government, including many civilians, after a faction of the armed forces tried to seize power using tanks and attack helicopters. 
 
Some strafed the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and Parliament in the capital, Ankara, and others seized a major bridge in Istanbul. 
 
Yildirim, speaking outside his Cankaya palace in Ankara, and flanked by top general Hulusi Akar who was held during the coup attempt, also described the putsch bid as a &quot;black stain&quot; on Turkish democracy. He added that 1,440 people had been wounded.&nbsp; 
 
Erdogan appeared to accuse the coup plotters of trying to kill him and said he would purge the armed forces, which in the past have staged a number of successful coups, even if not for more than 30 years. 
 
&quot;They will pay a heavy price for this,&quot; he said. &quot;This uprising is a gift from God to us because this will be a reason to cleanse our army.&quot; Later, the presidency warned on Twitter that another uprising could be staged at any time. 
 
Turkish authorities have already detained 2,839 soldiers on suspicion of involvement, officials said. The chief of staff, who had been reported held hostage by the rebels, has been rescued, a senior official said. 
 
A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming a major US ally while war rages on its border. 
 
However, a failed coup attempt could still destabilise a NATO member that lies between the European Union and the chaos of Syria, with Islamic State bombers targeting Turkish cities and the government also at war with Kurdish separatists. 
 
Erdogan, who had been holidaying on the southwest coast when the coup was launched, flew into Istanbul before dawn today and was shown on TV outside Ataturk airport. 
 
Addressing a crowd of thousands of flag-waving supporters at the airport later, Erdogan said the government remained at the helm, even though disturbances continued in Ankara. 
 
Erdogan, whose Islamist-rooted ideology lies at odds with supporters of modern Turkey&#39;s secular principles, said the plotters had tried to attack him in the resort town of Marmaris. 
 
&quot;They bombed places I had departed right after I was gone,&quot; he said. &quot;They probably thought we were still there.&quot; 
 
In a live statement broadcast on CNN Turk, Umit Dundar, acting armed forces chief of staff said many military commanders have been taken hostage by the rebels but he declared that Turkey has &quot;closed the chapter&quot; on coups for good. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s AK Party, with roots in Islamism, has long had a strained relationship with the military and nationalists. The armed forces have had a history of mounting coups to defend secularism, but have not seized power directly since 1980. 
 
Operations involving police special forces and the military were still underway to regain control of the armed forces headquarters in Ankara, one official said. 
 
Smartphone address 
 
In a night that sometimes verged on the bizarre, Erdogan took to social media even though he is an avowed enemy of the technology when his opponents use it, frequently targeting Twitter and Facebook. 
 
Erdogan addressed the nation via a video calling service, appearing on the smartphone of a CNN Turk reporter who held it up to a studio camera so viewers to the network could see him. 
 
Erdogan said the coup attempt had been encouraged by the &quot;parallel structure&quot;. This is his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom he has repeatedly accused of trying to foment an uprising in the military, media and judiciary. 
 
Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, once supported Erdogan, but became a nemesis. The pro-Gulen Alliance for Shared Values said it condemned any military intervention in domestic politics. 
 
The pro-coup faction said in an emailed statement from the Turkish military general staff&#39;s media office address that it was determinedly still fighting. 
 
Gunfire and explosions had rocked both Istanbul and Ankara through the night after soldiers took up positions in both cities and ordered state television to read out a statement declaring they had taken power. However, by dawn the noise of fighting had died down considerably. 
 
About 50 soldiers involved in the coup surrendered on one of the bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul after dawn today, abandoning their tanks with their hands raised in the air. Reuters witnesses saw government supporters attack the pro-coup soldiers who had surrendered. 
 
Earlier, around 30 pro-coup soldiers had surrendered their weapons after being surrounded by armed police in Istanbul&#39;s central Taksim square. 
 
They were taken away in police vans as a fighter jet repeatedly screeched overhead at low altitude, causing a boom that shook surrounding buildings and shattered windows. 
 
Lawmakers in hiding 
 
The coup began with warplanes and helicopters roaring over Ankara and troops moving in to seal off the bridges over the Bosphorus Strait that links Europe and Asia in Istanbul. 
 
Authorities had shut the strait to tanker traffic, shipping agent GAC said. 
 
In the early hours, lawmakers were hiding in shelters inside the parliament building, which was being fired on by tanks. Smoke rose up from nearby, Reuters witnesses said. An opposition MP told Reuters,the Parliament was hit three times and that people had been wounded. 
 
A senior Turkish official said later today attacks on the Parliament had &quot;largely stopped&quot;. 
 
A Turkish military commander also said fighter jets had shot down a helicopter used by the coup plotters over Ankara. State-run Anadolu news agency said 17 police were killed at special forces headquarters there. 
 
Momentum turned against the coup plotters as the night wore on. Crowds defied orders to stay indoors, gathering at major squares in Istanbul and Ankara, waving flags and chanting. 
 
&quot;We have a prime minister, we have a chief of command, we&#39;re not going to leave this country to degenerates,&quot; shouted one man, as groups of government supporters climbed onto a tank near Ataturk airport. 
 
US secretary of state John Kerry said he phoned the Turkish foreign minister and underlined &quot;absolute support for Turkey&#39;s democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions&quot;. 
 
European Council president Donald Tusk called for a swift return to Turkey&#39;s constitutional order, saying tensions there could not be resolved by guns. 
 
Flights resume&nbsp; 
 
Flag carrier Turkish Airways resumed flights today, Erdogan said. Malaysia Airports, the operator of Sabiha Gokcen International airport, Istanbul&#39;s second airport, said it would continue to process flights in and out of Turkey. 
 
Soldiers took control of Turkish Radio and Television coperation (TRT) state television, which announced a countrywide curfew and martial law. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the pro-coup faction that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. Turkey would be run by a &quot;peace council&quot; that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said. 
 
TRT went off the air shortly afterwards. It resumed broadcasting early morning today. 
 
Turkey is one of the main backers of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country&#39;s civil war, host to 2.7 million Syrian refugees and launchpad last year for the biggest influx of migrants to Europe since World War II. 
 
Turkey has suffered numerous bombings and shootings this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Ataturk airport that killed more than 40 people, as well as those staged by Kurdish militants. 
 
After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected President in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers. 
 
Turkey has enjoyed an economic boom during his time in office and has dramatically expanded its influence across the region. However, opponents say his rule has become increasingly authoritaries. 
 
(Agencies)

President Erdogan tweeted that the uprising is a gift from God, giving him an opportunity to cleanse the army

Forces loyal to the Turkish government fought today to crush the remnants of a military coup attempt which crumbled after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogan's call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 161 were killed in the coup attempt against the government, including many civilians, after a faction of the armed forces tried to seize power using tanks and attack helicopters. Some strafed the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and Parliament in the capital, Ankara, and others seized a major bridge in Istanbul. Yildirim, speaking outside his Cankaya palace in Ankara, and flanked by top general Hulusi Akar who was held during the coup attempt, also described the putsch bid as a "black stain" on Turkish democracy. He added that 1,440 people had been wounded. Erdogan appeared to accuse the coup plotters of trying to kill him and said he would purge the armed forces, which in the past have staged a number of successful coups, even if not for more than 30 years. "They will pay a heavy price for this," he said. "This uprising is a gift from God to us because this will be a reason to cleanse our army." Later, the presidency warned on Twitter that another uprising could be staged at any time. Turkish authorities have already detained 2,839 soldiers on suspicion of involvement, officials said. The chief of staff, who had been reported held hostage by the rebels, has been rescued, a senior official said. A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming a major US ally while war rages on its border. However, a failed coup attempt could still destabilise a NATO member that lies between the European Union and the chaos of Syria, with Islamic State bombers targeting Turkish cities and the government also at war with Kurdish separatists. Erdogan, who had been holidaying on the southwest coast when the coup was launched, flew into Istanbul before dawn today and was shown on TV outside Ataturk airport. Addressing a crowd of thousands of flag-waving supporters at the airport later, Erdogan said the government remained at the helm, even though disturbances continued in Ankara. Erdogan, whose Islamist-rooted ideology lies at odds with supporters of modern Turkey's secular principles, said the plotters had tried to attack him in the resort town of Marmaris. "They bombed places I had departed right after I was gone," he said. "They probably thought we were still there." In a live statement broadcast on CNN Turk, Umit Dundar, acting armed forces chief of staff said many military commanders have been taken hostage by the rebels but he declared that Turkey has "closed the chapter" on coups for good. Erdogan's AK Party, with roots in Islamism, has long had a strained relationship with the military and nationalists. The armed forces have had a history of mounting coups to defend secularism, but have not seized power directly since 1980. Operations involving police special forces and the military were still underway to regain control of the armed forces headquarters in Ankara, one official said. Smartphone address In a night that sometimes verged on the bizarre, Erdogan took to social media even though he is an avowed enemy of the technology when his opponents use it, frequently targeting Twitter and Facebook. Erdogan addressed the nation via a video calling service, appearing on the smartphone of a CNN Turk reporter who held it up to a studio camera so viewers to the network could see him. Erdogan said the coup attempt had been encouraged by the "parallel structure". This is his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom he has repeatedly accused of trying to foment an uprising in the military, media and judiciary. Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, once supported Erdogan, but became a nemesis. The pro-Gulen Alliance for Shared Values said it condemned any military intervention in domestic politics. The pro-coup faction said in an emailed statement from the Turkish military general staff's media office address that it was determinedly still fighting. Gunfire and explosions had rocked both Istanbul and Ankara through the night after soldiers took up positions in both cities and ordered state television to read out a statement declaring they had taken power. However, by dawn the noise of fighting had died down considerably. About 50 soldiers involved in the coup surrendered on one of the bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul after dawn today, abandoning their tanks with their hands raised in the air. Reuters witnesses saw government supporters attack the pro-coup soldiers who had surrendered. Earlier, around 30 pro-coup soldiers had surrendered their weapons after being surrounded by armed police in Istanbul's central Taksim square. They were taken away in police vans as a fighter jet repeatedly screeched overhead at low altitude, causing a boom that shook surrounding buildings and shattered windows. Lawmakers in hiding The coup began with warplanes and helicopters roaring over Ankara and troops moving in to seal off the bridges over the Bosphorus Strait that links Europe and Asia in Istanbul. Authorities had shut the strait to tanker traffic, shipping agent GAC said. In the early hours, lawmakers were hiding in shelters inside the parliament building, which was being fired on by tanks. Smoke rose up from nearby, Reuters witnesses said. An opposition MP told Reuters,the Parliament was hit three times and that people had been wounded. A senior Turkish official said later today attacks on the Parliament had "largely stopped". A Turkish military commander also said fighter jets had shot down a helicopter used by the coup plotters over Ankara. State-run Anadolu news agency said 17 police were killed at special forces headquarters there. Momentum turned against the coup plotters as the night wore on. Crowds defied orders to stay indoors, gathering at major squares in Istanbul and Ankara, waving flags and chanting. "We have a prime minister, we have a chief of command, we're not going to leave this country to degenerates," shouted one man, as groups of government supporters climbed onto a tank near Ataturk airport. US secretary of state John Kerry said he phoned the Turkish foreign minister and underlined "absolute support for Turkey's democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions". European Council president Donald Tusk called for a swift return to Turkey's constitutional order, saying tensions there could not be resolved by guns. Flights resume Flag carrier Turkish Airways resumed flights today, Erdogan said. Malaysia Airports, the operator of Sabiha Gokcen International airport, Istanbul's second airport, said it would continue to process flights in and out of Turkey. Soldiers took control of Turkish Radio and Television coperation (TRT) state television, which announced a countrywide curfew and martial law. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the pro-coup faction that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. Turkey would be run by a "peace council" that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said. TRT went off the air shortly afterwards. It resumed broadcasting early morning today. Turkey is one of the main backers of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country's civil war, host to 2.7 million Syrian refugees and launchpad last year for the biggest influx of migrants to Europe since World War II. Turkey has suffered numerous bombings and shootings this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Ataturk airport that killed more than 40 people, as well as those staged by Kurdish militants. After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected President in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers. Turkey has enjoyed an economic boom during his time in office and has dramatically expanded its influence across the region. However, opponents say his rule has become increasingly authoritaries. (Agencies)

Turkey PM says 161 killed, 1,140 wounded while 2,839 soldiers arrested for failed coup attempt

Turkey failed coup attempt: PM says 161 killed, 1,140 wounded, 2,839 soldiers arrested

Turkey aims to develop good relations with Syria and Iraq, and both countries need to be stable for counter-terrorism efforts to succeed, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today.&nbsp; 
 
Turkey has long been one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s staunchest opponents, arguing that only his departure could stabilise Syria. The stance set it at odds with Assad&#39;s ally Russia and distanced it from a US-led coalition more focused on fighting Islamic State. 
 
Since taking office in May, Yildirim has repeatedly said that Turkey needs to &quot;increase its friends and decrease its enemies&quot; -- an apparent tacit admission that past policies have left Ankara sidelined. 
 
&quot;It is our greatest and irrevocable goal: Developing good relations with Syria and Iraq, and all our neighbours that surround the Mediterranean and the Black Sea,&quot; Yildirim said, in comments broadcast live on television. 
 
&quot;We normalised relations with Russia and Israel. I&#39;m sure we will normalise relations with Syria as well. For the fight against terrorism to succeed stability needs to return to Syria and Iraq,&quot; he said. 
 
Turkey last month announced the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel after a six-year rupture and expressed regret to Russia over the downing of a warplane, seeking to mend strained alliances. Officials have insisted those moves do not mark a broader foreign policy shift for Ankara. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

?Since taking office in May, Yildirim has repeatedly said that Turkey needs to "increase its friends and decrease its enemies"

Turkey aims to develop good relations with Syria and Iraq, and both countries need to be stable for counter-terrorism efforts to succeed, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said today. Turkey has long been one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's staunchest opponents, arguing that only his departure could stabilise Syria. The stance set it at odds with Assad's ally Russia and distanced it from a US-led coalition more focused on fighting Islamic State. Since taking office in May, Yildirim has repeatedly said that Turkey needs to "increase its friends and decrease its enemies" -- an apparent tacit admission that past policies have left Ankara sidelined. "It is our greatest and irrevocable goal: Developing good relations with Syria and Iraq, and all our neighbours that surround the Mediterranean and the Black Sea," Yildirim said, in comments broadcast live on television. "We normalised relations with Russia and Israel. I'm sure we will normalise relations with Syria as well. For the fight against terrorism to succeed stability needs to return to Syria and Iraq," he said. Turkey last month announced the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel after a six-year rupture and expressed regret to Russia over the downing of a warplane, seeking to mend strained alliances. Officials have insisted those moves do not mark a broader foreign policy shift for Ankara. (AFP)

Syria, Iraq need to be stable for fight against terror to succeed: Turkish PM

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