Battles raged in Syria as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to press on with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/turkish-attack-on-syria-endangers-a-remarkable-democratic-experiment-by-the-kurds-255206">deadly assault against Kurdish forces</a>, while the Pentagon said Friday US troops came under artillery fire from Turkish positions.

Erdogan's pledge to keep up the offensive, which the UN says has displaced more than 100,000 people since it began on Wednesday, came as the US Treasury warned President Donald Trump was planning to activate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-intensifies-syria-campaign-washington-warns-of-serious-consequences-255344">"very powerful" sanctions</a> on Ankara.

Trump, whose order to pull back US troops from the border this week effectively triggered the intervention, has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to give a green light to the push.

Turkey is targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group.

A Pentagon spokesman confirmed an explosion within a few hundred meters of its post close to the northern Syrian border, in an area "known by the Turks to have US forces present".

"All US troops are accounted for with no injuries," Navy Captain Brook DeWalt said in a statement. US forces had not withdrawn from their position near the town of Kobani, he said.

"The US demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action," warned DeWalt.

Earlier Friday, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper "strongly encouraged" Turkey to halt its offensive as a prelude to such negotiations, warning of "serious consequences".

But Erdogan vowed the assault "will not stop".

"Now there are threats coming from left and right, telling us to stop this," he said. "We will not step back."

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump had authorized -- but not yet activated -- new sanctions to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action.

"We can shut down the Turkish economy if we need to," he said.

'Heavy fighting'

Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria has been met with international condemnation over what many see as the blatant US betrayal of the Kurdish forces, who have lost 11,000 fighters in the campaign against IS.

As the offensive went into its third day, the SDF were fending for themselves, trying to repulse multiple ground attacks along a roughly 120-kilometre (75-mile) stretch of the border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies -- mostly Sunni Arab ex-rebels -- were launching airstrikes, heavy artillery and rocket fire.

In Al-Hol, a camp holding relatives of IS suspects that lies outside the area targeted by Turkey, women started riots Friday that Kurdish forces swiftly put down.

Watch video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/first-turkish-soldier-killed-in-syria-operation-255196/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">The risk that thousands of the jihadists they still hold could break free on the back of the Turkish assault could yet spur the international community into action.</div>

However Russia and China on Friday blocked a UN Security Council statement drafted by Washington calling on Turkey to halt its offensive, diplomats told AFP.

Exodus

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four civilians were killed in Tal Abyad when an airstrike hit the car in which they were fleeing the fighting, while another three were shot dead by snipers around the border town.

That brings the civilian death toll to 17 on the Syrian side, while 17 have also been killed in Turkey.

According to the monitor, 54 SDF fighters have also been killed while Turkey has reported the deaths of four soldiers.

Ras al-Ain, Tal Abyad and other border towns between them have been almost emptied in a huge wave of displacement.

Most of those fleeing were heading east towards the city of Hasakeh, which has not been targeted by Turkey.

"What does Erdogan want from us?" asked one woman, as she and her family settled into a school being used as an emergency shelter. "Is it all simply because we are Kurds?"

Erdogan hopes to create a buffer zone between the border and territory controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces, who have links with Turkey's own Kurdish rebels.

He also plans to use the strip, which he envisions will be about 30 kilometres deep, as an area in which to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees who live on Turkish soil.

Ceasefire?

Aid groups have warned of yet another humanitarian disaster in Syria's eight-year-old war if the offensive is not stopped.

France, a key partner in the US-led anti-IS coalition, has threatened sanctions against NATO member Turkey.

French leader Emmanuel Macron said the Turkish offensive must stop "as soon as possible" in a phone conversation with Trump on Friday, the presidency said.

Turkey is still far from having reached the goals of its military invasion but the risk appears to be growing that detained IS fighters could break free.

Kurdish officials said five IS prisoners managed to escape from a Qamishli facility housing mostly foreign jihadists after shelling struck nearby.

A car bomb claimed by IS also went off Friday in Qamishli, one of the main towns in the Kurdish region, killing at least six people, officials and the Observatory said.

The Kurdish administration says some 12,000 men are held in seven detention centres across Kurdish-controlled areas.

The US says it has already plucked two of the most high-profile IS jihadists to have been captured and spirited them out of Syria.

Battles raged in Syria as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to press on with a deadly assault against Kurdish forces, while the Pentagon said Friday US troops came under artillery fire from Turkish positions.

Battles raged in Syria as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to press on with a deadly assault against Kurdish forces, while the Pentagon said Friday US troops came under artillery fire from Turkish positions. Erdogan's pledge to keep up the offensive, which the UN says has displaced more than 100,000 people since it began on Wednesday, came as the US Treasury warned President Donald Trump was planning to activate "very powerful" sanctions on Ankara. Trump, whose order to pull back US troops from the border this week effectively triggered the intervention, has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to give a green light to the push. Turkey is targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group. A Pentagon spokesman confirmed an explosion within a few hundred meters of its post close to the northern Syrian border, in an area "known by the Turks to have US forces present". "All US troops are accounted for with no injuries," Navy Captain Brook DeWalt said in a statement. US forces had not withdrawn from their position near the town of Kobani, he said. "The US demands that Turkey avoid actions that could result in immediate defensive action," warned DeWalt. Earlier Friday, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper "strongly encouraged" Turkey to halt its offensive as a prelude to such negotiations, warning of "serious consequences". But Erdogan vowed the assault "will not stop". "Now there are threats coming from left and right, telling us to stop this," he said. "We will not step back." Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Trump had authorized -- but not yet activated -- new sanctions to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action. "We can shut down the Turkish economy if we need to," he said. 'Heavy fighting' Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria has been met with international condemnation over what many see as the blatant US betrayal of the Kurdish forces, who have lost 11,000 fighters in the campaign against IS. As the offensive went into its third day, the SDF were fending for themselves, trying to repulse multiple ground attacks along a roughly 120-kilometre (75-mile) stretch of the border. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the Turkish forces and their Syrian proxies -- mostly Sunni Arab ex-rebels -- were launching airstrikes, heavy artillery and rocket fire. In Al-Hol, a camp holding relatives of IS suspects that lies outside the area targeted by Turkey, women started riots Friday that Kurdish forces swiftly put down. Watch video: The risk that thousands of the jihadists they still hold could break free on the back of the Turkish assault could yet spur the international community into action. However Russia and China on Friday blocked a UN Security Council statement drafted by Washington calling on Turkey to halt its offensive, diplomats told AFP. Exodus The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four civilians were killed in Tal Abyad when an airstrike hit the car in which they were fleeing the fighting, while another three were shot dead by snipers around the border town. That brings the civilian death toll to 17 on the Syrian side, while 17 have also been killed in Turkey. According to the monitor, 54 SDF fighters have also been killed while Turkey has reported the deaths of four soldiers. Ras al-Ain, Tal Abyad and other border towns between them have been almost emptied in a huge wave of displacement. Most of those fleeing were heading east towards the city of Hasakeh, which has not been targeted by Turkey. "What does Erdogan want from us?" asked one woman, as she and her family settled into a school being used as an emergency shelter. "Is it all simply because we are Kurds?" Erdogan hopes to create a buffer zone between the border and territory controlled by Syrian Kurdish forces, who have links with Turkey's own Kurdish rebels. He also plans to use the strip, which he envisions will be about 30 kilometres deep, as an area in which to send back some of the 3.6 million Syrian refugees who live on Turkish soil. Ceasefire? Aid groups have warned of yet another humanitarian disaster in Syria's eight-year-old war if the offensive is not stopped. France, a key partner in the US-led anti-IS coalition, has threatened sanctions against NATO member Turkey. French leader Emmanuel Macron said the Turkish offensive must stop "as soon as possible" in a phone conversation with Trump on Friday, the presidency said. Turkey is still far from having reached the goals of its military invasion but the risk appears to be growing that detained IS fighters could break free. Kurdish officials said five IS prisoners managed to escape from a Qamishli facility housing mostly foreign jihadists after shelling struck nearby. A car bomb claimed by IS also went off Friday in Qamishli, one of the main towns in the Kurdish region, killing at least six people, officials and the Observatory said. The Kurdish administration says some 12,000 men are held in seven detention centres across Kurdish-controlled areas. The US says it has already plucked two of the most high-profile IS jihadists to have been captured and spirited them out of Syria.

Turkey vows to keep up Syria assault as US says troops came under fire

Pakistan has offered rare backing to Turkey in its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-vows-to-keep-up-syria-assault-as-us-says-troops-came-under-fire-255364">offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria</a>, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to visit Islamabad later this month.

Turkey on Wednesday launched an offensive in northern Syria targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group. The SDF lost 11,000 fighters in the US-led campaign.

It is Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria and has been met with international condemnation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, called Erdogan on Friday to "convey Pakistan's support and solidarity," his office said.

"The prime minister told him that Pakistan fully understands Turkey's concerns relating to terrorism," it said, adding "Pakistan is fully cognizant of the threats and challenges being faced by Turkey having lost 40,000 of its people to terrorism".

Khan told Erdogan that "Pakistan stands in full support and solidarity with Turkey," it said.

"We pray that Turkey's efforts for enhanced security, regional stability and peaceful resolution of the Syrian situation are fully successful," Khan was quoted as saying.

Khan's office said Erdogan would visit Pakistan later this month.

President Donald Trump has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to greenlight Turkey's offensive into northeastern Syria, which began after Trump ordered US troops to pull back from the border.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday Trump had authorised -- but not yet activated -- "very significant new sanctions" to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action.

Pakistan has offered rare backing to Turkey in its offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to visit Islamabad later this month.

Pakistan has offered rare backing to Turkey in its offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to visit Islamabad later this month. Turkey on Wednesday launched an offensive in northern Syria targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, a key US ally in the five-year battle to crush the Islamic State group. The SDF lost 11,000 fighters in the US-led campaign. It is Turkey's third such operation since the start of the war in Syria and has been met with international condemnation. Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, called Erdogan on Friday to "convey Pakistan's support and solidarity," his office said. "The prime minister told him that Pakistan fully understands Turkey's concerns relating to terrorism," it said, adding "Pakistan is fully cognizant of the threats and challenges being faced by Turkey having lost 40,000 of its people to terrorism". Khan told Erdogan that "Pakistan stands in full support and solidarity with Turkey," it said. "We pray that Turkey's efforts for enhanced security, regional stability and peaceful resolution of the Syrian situation are fully successful," Khan was quoted as saying. Khan's office said Erdogan would visit Pakistan later this month. President Donald Trump has faced a firestorm of criticism for appearing to greenlight Turkey's offensive into northeastern Syria, which began after Trump ordered US troops to pull back from the border. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Friday Trump had authorised -- but not yet activated -- "very significant new sanctions" to dissuade Turkey from further offensive military action.

Pakistan supports Turkey's Syria offensive

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the European Union (EU) on Thursday that Ankara would allow millions of refugees to head to Europe if the bloc criticised Turkey's military offensive in Syria.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-expresses-deep-concern-over-turkeys-attack-on-syria-calls-it-unilateral-254989">India expresses deep concern over Turkey's attack on Syria, calls it 'unilateral'</a>

"Hey EU, wake up. I say it again: if you try to frame our operation there as an invasion, our task is simple: we will open the doors and send 3.6 million migrants to you," Erdogan said in a speech to his party.

Turkey launched an operation into Syrian territory on Wednesday, aimed at combating Kurdish militants tied to insurgents in its own territory.

Erdogan said 109 "terrorists" had been killed so far in the operation, which would soon cover ground from Manbij in northern Syria to the Iraqi border some 350 kilometres (220 miles) east.

"God willing, we will crush these snakes' heads quickly," he said.

"What we are trying to do is prevent the establishment of a terrorist state on our southern border. This cannot happen,"

Turkey currently hosts 3.6 million refugees from the eight-year conflict in Syria -- the highest number in the world.&nbsp;

Under a 2016 agreement with the EU, Turkey agreed to prevent refugees from leaving towards Europe in exchange for six billion euros and visa-free travel for its citizens, but has frequently criticised the lack of assistance from Brussels.

"You have never been sincere," Erdogan said, addressing the EU.&nbsp;

"Now they say they will withhold three billion euros from us. Have you ever kept any promise you gave us so far? No."

One aim of the military operation is to establish a "safe zone" in which at least one million Syrian refugees can be repatriated, after the long-term presence of refugees became an increasingly political liability.

"For those who want to return to their country but don't have a home left anymore, we plan to build settlements for one million people, with international financing," Erdogan said.

He also sought to assuage concerns regarding Islamic State prisoners currently held by Kurdish forces.&nbsp;

"Those that need to be kept in jail we will keep in jail. We will return foreigners to their home countries if they accept them back," he said.
<img alt="Map war zone" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d6b45af3-93a2-48d6-8565-28a4ebe7b6a0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/MAP_WAR_ZONE.jpg" />
Turkey's 'Safe Zone' in Syria

Turkey has begun ground offensive in Syria and has been threatening to launch a military operation in SDF-held territory to create a 480km "safe zone" (marked in red on the map) running for 480km along the Syrian side of the Turkish border.

The Turkish offensive began on 9 October with airstrikes in Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ayn (marked along the red area in the map), in an operation called #OperationPeaceSpring by Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in 2015 was&nbsp;an alliance between the biggest Kurdish militia, the People's Protection Units (YPG) in Northern Syria with local Arab militias.

Kurds make up between 7 per cent&nbsp;and 10 per cent&nbsp;of Syria's population and Kurdish militias have largely operated from Northern Syria in offensives against ISIS occupation.

 
&nbsp;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the European Union (EU) on Thursday that Ankara would allow millions of refugees to head to Europe if the bloc criticised Turkey's military offensive in Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the European Union (EU) on Thursday that Ankara would allow millions of refugees to head to Europe if the bloc criticised Turkey's military offensive in Syria. Also read: India expresses deep concern over Turkey's attack on Syria, calls it 'unilateral' "Hey EU, wake up. I say it again: if you try to frame our operation there as an invasion, our task is simple: we will open the doors and send 3.6 million migrants to you," Erdogan said in a speech to his party. Turkey launched an operation into Syrian territory on Wednesday, aimed at combating Kurdish militants tied to insurgents in its own territory. Erdogan said 109 "terrorists" had been killed so far in the operation, which would soon cover ground from Manbij in northern Syria to the Iraqi border some 350 kilometres (220 miles) east. "God willing, we will crush these snakes' heads quickly," he said. "What we are trying to do is prevent the establishment of a terrorist state on our southern border. This cannot happen," Turkey currently hosts 3.6 million refugees from the eight-year conflict in Syria -- the highest number in the world. Under a 2016 agreement with the EU, Turkey agreed to prevent refugees from leaving towards Europe in exchange for six billion euros and visa-free travel for its citizens, but has frequently criticised the lack of assistance from Brussels. "You have never been sincere," Erdogan said, addressing the EU. "Now they say they will withhold three billion euros from us. Have you ever kept any promise you gave us so far? No." One aim of the military operation is to establish a "safe zone" in which at least one million Syrian refugees can be repatriated, after the long-term presence of refugees became an increasingly political liability. "For those who want to return to their country but don't have a home left anymore, we plan to build settlements for one million people, with international financing," Erdogan said. He also sought to assuage concerns regarding Islamic State prisoners currently held by Kurdish forces. "Those that need to be kept in jail we will keep in jail. We will return foreigners to their home countries if they accept them back," he said. Turkey's 'Safe Zone' in Syria Turkey has begun ground offensive in Syria and has been threatening to launch a military operation in SDF-held territory to create a 480km "safe zone" (marked in red on the map) running for 480km along the Syrian side of the Turkish border. The Turkish offensive began on 9 October with airstrikes in Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ayn (marked along the red area in the map), in an operation called #OperationPeaceSpring by Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), formed in 2015 was an alliance between the biggest Kurdish militia, the People's Protection Units (YPG) in Northern Syria with local Arab militias. Kurds make up between 7 per cent and 10 per cent of Syria's population and Kurdish militias have largely operated from Northern Syria in offensives against ISIS occupation.

Erdogan threatens European Union with refugee influx if it criticises Syria operation

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks on Syria operation. Watch this video to know more.

Turkey President Erdogan speaks on Syria operation

Iran's top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in a phone call that Tehran is opposed to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/disaster-in-the-making-top-republicans-outraged-over-trump-pullback-in-syria-254361">military action in Syria</a>, the foreign ministry said.

"Zarif voiced opposition to military action" and "urged respect for Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty," Zarif was quoted as saying in a statement issued late Monday.

The Iranian foreign minister also "stressed the need for the fight against terrorism and for the establishment of stability and security in Syria".

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey was poised to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, after US President Donald Trump gave him the green light.

Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from the region has faced strong criticism in the US, including from his own allies who have accused him of turning his back on Kurds who took heavy casualties in the US-backed campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.

In their phone call, Zarif told Cavusoglu that the Adana agreement was "the best approach for Syria and Turkey and for addressing their concerns".

Ankara and Damascus signed the agreement in 1998 to ease tensions after Turkey threatened Syria with military action if it did not expel Turkish-Kurdish rebel leader Abdallah Ocalan from its soil.

For his part, Cavusoglu said the Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria "would be temporary", according to the statement from the Iranian foreign ministry.

Erdogan has expressed Ankara's determination to clear the Syrian border area east of the Euphrates river of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Turkey says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of Ocalan's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The United States worked closely with the YPG to recapture swathes of territory from IS.

Iran's top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in a phone call that Tehran is opposed to military action in Syria, the foreign ministry said.

Iran's top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in a phone call that Tehran is opposed to military action in Syria, the foreign ministry said. "Zarif voiced opposition to military action" and "urged respect for Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty," Zarif was quoted as saying in a statement issued late Monday. The Iranian foreign minister also "stressed the need for the fight against terrorism and for the establishment of stability and security in Syria". President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey was poised to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, after US President Donald Trump gave him the green light. Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from the region has faced strong criticism in the US, including from his own allies who have accused him of turning his back on Kurds who took heavy casualties in the US-backed campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. In their phone call, Zarif told Cavusoglu that the Adana agreement was "the best approach for Syria and Turkey and for addressing their concerns". Ankara and Damascus signed the agreement in 1998 to ease tensions after Turkey threatened Syria with military action if it did not expel Turkish-Kurdish rebel leader Abdallah Ocalan from its soil. For his part, Cavusoglu said the Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria "would be temporary", according to the statement from the Iranian foreign ministry. Erdogan has expressed Ankara's determination to clear the Syrian border area east of the Euphrates river of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Turkey says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of Ocalan's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The United States worked closely with the YPG to recapture swathes of territory from IS.

Iran opposes Syria military action, Javad Zarif tells Turkey

Turkey's tourism minister said Friday he was unconcerned by the collapse of British tour operator Thomas Cook as he unveiled ambitious plans to make the country one of the world's top holiday destinations.

"Nobody should be concerned by this," said Mehmet Ersoy, speaking at a conference in Istanbul to outline Turkey's tourism strategy.

"By 2020, we will see an increase in the number of visitors to Thomas Cook destinations."

He said Turkey was holding talks with EasyJet, British Airways and others in the coming days to finalize plans for more flights into areas affected by the Thomas Cook collapse, particularly the resort of Dalaman.

Thomas Cook, which declared bankruptcy last weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers stranded around Europe, represented around three percent of Turkey's tourist intake.

Turkish tourism has recently recovered from a sudden 25-per cent decline in 2016 caused by a spate of terrorist attacks and political unrest.

At the heart of the new strategy is a major increase in worldwide promotion from $80 million to $180 million over the next year.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made tourism a strategic priority, and the goal is to increase visitors from 55 million to 75 million by 2023, the 100th anniversary of the Turkish republic, with earnings hitting $65 billion.

Cruise ship arrivals are expected to nearly double with the imminent completion of one port in the Istanbul hub of Galata and another due for construction in nearby Yenikapi.

The government is also throwing money at archaeological excavations and cleaner beaches, while also planting scenes of Turkish cuisine into the country's wildly popular soap opera exports.

Turkey's tourism minister said Friday he was unconcerned by the collapse of British tour operator Thomas Cook as he unveiled ambitious plans to make the country one of the world's top holiday destinations.

Turkey's tourism minister said Friday he was unconcerned by the collapse of British tour operator Thomas Cook as he unveiled ambitious plans to make the country one of the world's top holiday destinations. "Nobody should be concerned by this," said Mehmet Ersoy, speaking at a conference in Istanbul to outline Turkey's tourism strategy. "By 2020, we will see an increase in the number of visitors to Thomas Cook destinations." He said Turkey was holding talks with EasyJet, British Airways and others in the coming days to finalize plans for more flights into areas affected by the Thomas Cook collapse, particularly the resort of Dalaman. Thomas Cook, which declared bankruptcy last weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers stranded around Europe, represented around three percent of Turkey's tourist intake. Turkish tourism has recently recovered from a sudden 25-per cent decline in 2016 caused by a spate of terrorist attacks and political unrest. At the heart of the new strategy is a major increase in worldwide promotion from $80 million to $180 million over the next year. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made tourism a strategic priority, and the goal is to increase visitors from 55 million to 75 million by 2023, the 100th anniversary of the Turkish republic, with earnings hitting $65 billion. Cruise ship arrivals are expected to nearly double with the imminent completion of one port in the Istanbul hub of Galata and another due for construction in nearby Yenikapi. The government is also throwing money at archaeological excavations and cleaner beaches, while also planting scenes of Turkish cuisine into the country's wildly popular soap opera exports.

Turkey shrugs off Thomas Cook collapse amid booming investment

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host his Russian and Iranian counterparts on Monday for their latest summit on Syria, with attention focused on Damascus's push on the last rebel-held bastion of Idlib.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host his Russian and Iranian counterparts on Monday for their latest summit on Syria, with attention focused on Damascus's push on the last rebel-held bastion of Idlib. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani will join Erdogan in the Turkish capital Ankara for their fifth summit on the conflict since 2017. Iran and Russia have been staunch supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey has called for his ouster and backed opposition fighters. But with Assad's position looking increasingly secure, Turkey's priority has shifted to preventing a mass influx of refugees from Idlib in Syria's northwest. Turkey is concerned by the steady advance of Syrian forces into the region, backed by Russian airpower, despite a series of ceasefires. Turkey has 12 observation posts in Idlib to enforce a buffer zone agreement struck a year ago with Russia to prevent a full-scale Syrian offensive. But the posts look increasingly threatened, with one of them cut off from the rest of Idlib when Syrian forces advanced last month. Russian air strikes have continued in the region despite the latest ceasefire between Ankara and Moscow on August 31. "A large number of terrorists are still present in this zone... and fighters continue to fire on the positions of government forces," Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov said on Friday. Low expectations The Turkish presidency said the leaders would discuss the latest developments in Syria as well as "ensuring the necessary conditions for the voluntary return of refugees and discussing the joint step to be taken in the period ahead with the aim of achieving a lasting political solution." Moscow is keen to see progress on establishing a constitutional committee to oversee the next stage of the political settlement in Syria. That would give Putin a political win to add to its military victories, said Dareen Khalifa, senior Syria analyst at International Crisis Group. But she said expectations should remain low. Even if they could agree on who will form the committee, "this leaves a crux of issues unaddressed for the future of the political process including the regime's ability and willingness to undertake any kind of political reform," Khalifa told. All three leaders are expected to hold one-on-one meetings before the summit, the Kremlin said. They will also hold a closing news conference with a view to presenting a joint declaration. Meanwhile, Turkey has other concerns regarding Syria. It has repeatedly threatened to launch a cross-border offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces, whom it sees as allied to Kurdish militants in its own territory. That has strained Turkey's relations with its NATO ally, the United States, which backs the Syrian Kurds as the main fighting force against the Islamic State group (IS). The US has vowed to work with Turkey to clear Kurdish forces away from its border, but Ankara says progress has so far been "cosmetic" and it could launch an operation into Syria by the end of this month. Turkey has conducted two previous offensives against IS in 2016 and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in 2018.

Erdogan hosts Putin, Rouhani for Syria summit as Turkey looks to prevent mass influx of refugees from Idlib

The situation in the Syrian province of Idlib is unacceptable for Ankara, which is taking measures to protect its interests, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalist on Friday.

Earlier today, the country’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Russia had guaranteed the safety of Turkish observation posts in Idlib.

"There have been attacks on our No 9 and No 10 observation posts. After we had discussed this situation with esteemed [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, necessary warnings were given. The situation in Idlib is unacceptable for us, we are taking every measure to protect our interests," Erdogan said.

He added that a wave of refugees from Idlib, fleeing from war, had begun moving toward Turkey.

A long-discussed truce entered into force in Idlib in early August. However, Syrian leadership said it would resume its military operation in northwestern Syria if Ankara failed to implement its obligations, one of which was to ensure that terrorists retreat 20 kilometres (12 miles) away from the demilitarized zone in Idlib.

Syrian forces resumed their operation on August 5 after the militants failed to comply with the ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and Turkey.

Damascus has been protesting Turkey's presence in Syria, calling it illegal. Turkey, on the other hand, paints it as necessary to the country’s fight against Kurdish separatists.

The situation in the Syrian province of Idlib is unacceptable for Ankara, which is taking measures to protect its interests, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalist on Friday.

The situation in the Syrian province of Idlib is unacceptable for Ankara, which is taking measures to protect its interests, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalist on Friday. Earlier today, the country’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Russia had guaranteed the safety of Turkish observation posts in Idlib. "There have been attacks on our No 9 and No 10 observation posts. After we had discussed this situation with esteemed [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, necessary warnings were given. The situation in Idlib is unacceptable for us, we are taking every measure to protect our interests," Erdogan said. He added that a wave of refugees from Idlib, fleeing from war, had begun moving toward Turkey. A long-discussed truce entered into force in Idlib in early August. However, Syrian leadership said it would resume its military operation in northwestern Syria if Ankara failed to implement its obligations, one of which was to ensure that terrorists retreat 20 kilometres (12 miles) away from the demilitarized zone in Idlib. Syrian forces resumed their operation on August 5 after the militants failed to comply with the ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and Turkey. Damascus has been protesting Turkey's presence in Syria, calling it illegal. Turkey, on the other hand, paints it as necessary to the country’s fight against Kurdish separatists.

Turkish President Erdogan calls situation in Idlib 'unacceptable'

Turkey remains committed to an agreement with the United States on its participation in the F-35 program, but if Washington refuses to deliver the fighter jets, Ankara will consider alternative options, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.

On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the MAKS-2019 air show outside Moscow together with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He expressed interest in Su-35 and Su-57 fighters and this topic also emerged during his conversation with the Russian leader. On Friday, Erdogan said that Ankara and Moscow were conducting talks regarding the purchase of Su-57 fighters.

"We have never said that we are buying Russian aircraft, as we are a part of the F-35 program and still adhere to it. We want to buy the F-35 fighters, but if we cannot do this, we will look for alternatives. We do not exclude any options, it does not specifically have to be Russia," Cavusoglu said during his visit to Norway in a statement aired by the NTV broadcaster.

The United States announced in July its decision to suspend Turkey's participation in the F-35 international program over Ankara's purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems, adding that the country would be completely removed from the project by late March 2020. Under the program, Turkey ordered more than 100 F-35 fighter jets.

The United States has claimed that the S-400 systems are incompatible with NATO's air defence weapons and may compromise the operations of the F-35 fighter jets.

Turkey remains committed to an agreement with the United States on its participation in the F-35 program, but if Washington refuses to deliver the fighter jets, Ankara will consider alternative options, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.

Turkey remains committed to an agreement with the United States on its participation in the F-35 program, but if Washington refuses to deliver the fighter jets, Ankara will consider alternative options, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday. On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the MAKS-2019 air show outside Moscow together with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He expressed interest in Su-35 and Su-57 fighters and this topic also emerged during his conversation with the Russian leader. On Friday, Erdogan said that Ankara and Moscow were conducting talks regarding the purchase of Su-57 fighters. "We have never said that we are buying Russian aircraft, as we are a part of the F-35 program and still adhere to it. We want to buy the F-35 fighters, but if we cannot do this, we will look for alternatives. We do not exclude any options, it does not specifically have to be Russia," Cavusoglu said during his visit to Norway in a statement aired by the NTV broadcaster. The United States announced in July its decision to suspend Turkey's participation in the F-35 international program over Ankara's purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems, adding that the country would be completely removed from the project by late March 2020. Under the program, Turkey ordered more than 100 F-35 fighter jets. The United States has claimed that the S-400 systems are incompatible with NATO's air defence weapons and may compromise the operations of the F-35 fighter jets.

Turkey still committed to purchasing US F-35 fighters: Foreign minister

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday hailed the controversial delivery of a Russian missile defence system despite the threat of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-says-trump-can-waive-sanctions-on-turkey-report-236013">US sanctions,</a> as Turkey marked the third anniversary of a bloody coup attempt.

Just days before the anniversary, the first batch of the Russian S-400 defence system was delivered to Turkey despite repeated US calls for them to cancel the deal or face punishment.

"We have <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-part-of-russian-s-400-missile-defence-system-delivered-turkey-235249">begun to receive our S-400s</a>. Some said, 'they cannot buy them'... God willing the final part of this (delivery) will be in April 2020," Erdogan told a crowd of several thousand in Ankara.

The anniversary comes at a difficult moment for Erdogan. He faces a weakened economy, worsening relations with NATO ally the United States over the S-400 purchase, and a humiliating loss for his party in the recent Istanbul local election.

In 2016, nearly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-coup-anniversary-in-speech-erdogan-threatens-to-chop-off-traitors-heads-17955">250 people were killed</a> -- excluding the coup-plotters -- and more than 2,000 injured after a rogue military faction tried to wrest power from the president. Thousands took to the streets in response to Erdogan's call to defeat the uprising.

Relations with the West deteriorated after the coup bid, as Turkish officials accused the West of not giving Ankara sufficient support.

Over the same period, Erdogan has grown ever closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising concerns in Europe and the United States.

Erdogan said Turkey's "next target was a joint production with Russia" of the next missile defence system.

"We are taking every measure to make sure our people do not suffer the betrayal of 15 July again or something similar," Erdogan added.

Late Monday he travelled to Istanbul to inaugurate a museum dedicated to the failed coup, where he insisted on the importance of commemorating the putsch attempt to prevent "greater evils".

Ankara accuses former ally-turned-foe Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric exiled in the US, of having ordered the attempted coup. He lists his movement as a "terrorist" organisation.

Some 8,000 military personnel took part in the bid to overthrow Erdogan, backed by 35 fighter jets, three boats, 37 helicopters and 74 tanks, according to state news agency Anadolu.

Since 2016, tens of thousands of people have been detained while 150,000 public sector employees have been suspended or sacked over alleged links to Gulen.

Arrests continue

Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter that Turkey "sends a powerful message of unity and solidarity to the world,&nbsp;We will die but never let traitors and putschists destroy our country, our freedom and our dignity."

The day, known as "15 July" in Turkey, has become a national holiday.

Earlier on Monday Erdogan took part in a tense ceremony at parliament, which was bombed during the coup violence.

Arzu, who was among the thousands who came to see Erdogan speak in Ankara, said she was there to "honour our martyrs", adding: "Without them, we would not be alive."

Anadolu reported Sunday that 110 suspected Gulen movement members have been extradited to Turkey from more than 20 countries.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-2000-suspects-given-jail-terms-in-turkey-coup-trials-minister-142941">Hundreds of life sentences</a> have been handed down against accused putschists.&nbsp;

There are still almost daily police raids to capture suspects accused of ties to Gulen.

Based in Pennsylvania, Gulen strongly denies Ankara's claims. His movement rejects the "terrorist" tag, insisting it promotes education and moderate Islam.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday hailed the controversial delivery of a Russian missile defence system despite the threat of US sanctions, as Turkey marked the third anniversary of a bloody coup attempt.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday hailed the controversial delivery of a Russian missile defence system despite the threat of US sanctions, as Turkey marked the third anniversary of a bloody coup attempt. Just days before the anniversary, the first batch of the Russian S-400 defence system was delivered to Turkey despite repeated US calls for them to cancel the deal or face punishment. "We have begun to receive our S-400s. Some said, 'they cannot buy them'... God willing the final part of this (delivery) will be in April 2020," Erdogan told a crowd of several thousand in Ankara. The anniversary comes at a difficult moment for Erdogan. He faces a weakened economy, worsening relations with NATO ally the United States over the S-400 purchase, and a humiliating loss for his party in the recent Istanbul local election. In 2016, nearly 250 people were killed -- excluding the coup-plotters -- and more than 2,000 injured after a rogue military faction tried to wrest power from the president. Thousands took to the streets in response to Erdogan's call to defeat the uprising. Relations with the West deteriorated after the coup bid, as Turkish officials accused the West of not giving Ankara sufficient support. Over the same period, Erdogan has grown ever closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising concerns in Europe and the United States. Erdogan said Turkey's "next target was a joint production with Russia" of the next missile defence system. "We are taking every measure to make sure our people do not suffer the betrayal of 15 July again or something similar," Erdogan added. Late Monday he travelled to Istanbul to inaugurate a museum dedicated to the failed coup, where he insisted on the importance of commemorating the putsch attempt to prevent "greater evils". Ankara accuses former ally-turned-foe Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric exiled in the US, of having ordered the attempted coup. He lists his movement as a "terrorist" organisation. Some 8,000 military personnel took part in the bid to overthrow Erdogan, backed by 35 fighter jets, three boats, 37 helicopters and 74 tanks, according to state news agency Anadolu. Since 2016, tens of thousands of people have been detained while 150,000 public sector employees have been suspended or sacked over alleged links to Gulen. Arrests continue Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter that Turkey "sends a powerful message of unity and solidarity to the world, We will die but never let traitors and putschists destroy our country, our freedom and our dignity." The day, known as "15 July" in Turkey, has become a national holiday. Earlier on Monday Erdogan took part in a tense ceremony at parliament, which was bombed during the coup violence. Arzu, who was among the thousands who came to see Erdogan speak in Ankara, said she was there to "honour our martyrs", adding: "Without them, we would not be alive." Anadolu reported Sunday that 110 suspected Gulen movement members have been extradited to Turkey from more than 20 countries. Hundreds of life sentences have been handed down against accused putschists. There are still almost daily police raids to capture suspects accused of ties to Gulen. Based in Pennsylvania, Gulen strongly denies Ankara's claims. His movement rejects the "terrorist" tag, insisting it promotes education and moderate Islam.

Erdogan hails S-400 deal as Turkey marks 2016 coup bid anniversary

US President Donald Trump has the authority to waive sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of Russian air defence systems and should find a "middle ground" in the dispute, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Sunday.

Erdogan's comments came two days after NATO member Turkey took delivery of the first consig9nment of advanced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-ignores-us-warnings-as-it-continues-to-take-delivery-of-russias-s-400-235504">Russian S-400 missile defence system</a> parts, despite warnings from Washington that the move would trigger US sanctions.

Broadcaster Haberturk quoted Erdogan as telling Turkish journalists that Trump "has the authority to waive or postpone CAATSA", referring to US sanctions designed to prevent countries buying military equipment from Russia.

"Since this is the case, it is Trump who needs to find the middle ground," Erdogan said, according to Haberturk.

Trump expressed sympathy for Turkey's position when he met Erdogan at a G20 summit in Japan last month, saying Ankara had bought the S-400s from Moscow because the previous US administration would not sell it Patriot missiles.

"Right now, I don't believe Trump is of the same opinion of those below him and he has said this in front of all world media," Erdogan said.

"By buying the S-400s, we are not getting ready for war. We are trying to guarantee peace and our national security," he added.

In addition to the threatened CAATSA sanctions, US officials have said Turkey could be thrown off the F-35 stealth fighter jet programme, meaning it would no longer be part of the production process or be able to buy the jets it has ordered.

The Pentagon says the S-400s would pose a threat to the jets if they were operating in the same region. Erdogan said Turkey had orders for more than 100 F-35s and expected Washington to remain committed to the deal.

US President Donald Trump has the authority to waive sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of Russian air defence systems and should find a "middle ground" in the dispute, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump has the authority to waive sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of Russian air defence systems and should find a "middle ground" in the dispute, President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Sunday. Erdogan's comments came two days after NATO member Turkey took delivery of the first consig9nment of advanced Russian S-400 missile defence system parts, despite warnings from Washington that the move would trigger US sanctions. Broadcaster Haberturk quoted Erdogan as telling Turkish journalists that Trump "has the authority to waive or postpone CAATSA", referring to US sanctions designed to prevent countries buying military equipment from Russia. "Since this is the case, it is Trump who needs to find the middle ground," Erdogan said, according to Haberturk. Trump expressed sympathy for Turkey's position when he met Erdogan at a G20 summit in Japan last month, saying Ankara had bought the S-400s from Moscow because the previous US administration would not sell it Patriot missiles. "Right now, I don't believe Trump is of the same opinion of those below him and he has said this in front of all world media," Erdogan said. "By buying the S-400s, we are not getting ready for war. We are trying to guarantee peace and our national security," he added. In addition to the threatened CAATSA sanctions, US officials have said Turkey could be thrown off the F-35 stealth fighter jet programme, meaning it would no longer be part of the production process or be able to buy the jets it has ordered. The Pentagon says the S-400s would pose a threat to the jets if they were operating in the same region. Erdogan said Turkey had orders for more than 100 F-35s and expected Washington to remain committed to the deal.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Trump can waive sanctions on Turkey: Report

Greece's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greece-polls-opposition-leader-kyriakos-mitsotakis-wins-vows-to-make-country-proud-233849">conservative prime minister-elect Kyriakos Mitsotakis</a> vowed that the country would "proudly" enter a post-bailout period of "jobs, security and growth" after winning a landslide victory in Sunday's general election.

Official results showed Mitsotakis on track to crush <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greek-conservatives-take-strong-lead-in-exit-poll-233844">leftist premier Alexis Tsipras</a>, who oversaw austerity measures after Greece's dramatic rescue by international creditors in the European debt crisis.

"A painful cycle has closed," Mitsotakis said in a televised address, adding that Greece would "proudly raise its head again" on his watch.

"I will not fail to honour your hopes," he said as early congratulation calls came from outgoing European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/istanbul-awaits-election-verdict-on-erdogan-and-turkish-democracy-229788">Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan</a>.

With official results from 94 per cent of polling stations, New Democracy scored a crushing victory by nearly 40 per cent its best score in over a decade to 31.5 per cent for Tsipras's leftist Syriza party.

"I want to see this person prosper. I want to see the children who left to return," he later told party supporters.

Mitsotakis will be sworn in as Greece's new prime minister on Monday.

Tsipras had earlier admitted defeat after over four years in power that saw Greece emerge from its third bailout.

The 44-year-old warned that his Syriza party would "dynamically" resist efforts to scale back the party's pro-labour reforms.

If the results are confirmed, the 51-year-old Harvard graduate and former McKinsey consultant Mitsotakis will have a majority of 158 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament. Tsipras's party will have 86 seats.

The final number will depend on how smaller parties fare. They need at least 3.0 per cent of the vote to enter parliament.

&nbsp;A family affair&nbsp;

New Democracy was last in power in 2014, in coalition with the Greek socialists.

Mitsotakis is a scion of one of Greece's top political families.

He is the son of former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, one of the country's longest-serving parliamentarians.&nbsp;

His sister is former minister Dora Bakoyannis, Athens's first female mayor. And new Athens mayor Costas Bakoyannis, elected in May, is his nephew.

Sunday's election was Greece's third in as many months and the first held in midsummer since 1928.

In May, New Democracy beat Syriza by nearly 9.5 points in European parliament elections. A week later, it completed a near-sweep of Greek regions in local elections.

After that, Tsipras was forced to call an early general election. His term was scheduled to end in the autumn.

'Chance to recover'&nbsp;

Greece's youngest premier in more than a century, Tsipras had trailed in the polls for months amid widespread dissatisfaction over high taxes.

"Greece is exiting 10 years of crisis and the new government will have the heavy task to give a chance to the country to recover completely or to sink", 36-year-old Aphrodite told AFP, as she cast her vote in the bohemian downtown Athens neighbourhood of Exarcheia.

"I hope that from tomorrow we will be able to breathe with relief. To take a deep breath, if Mitsotakis does what he promises," added Athinodoros, a 48-year-old self-employed worker.

Tsipras has accused Mitsotakis who was part of a 2012-2014 crisis government of "disastrous" mismanagement that brought hundreds of thousands of job losses and business failures.

Mitsotakis has now pledged to create "better" jobs through growth, foreign investment and tax cuts and to "steamroll" obstacles to business.

Tsipras who reduced unemployment and raised the minimum wage for the first time since 2012 was criticized for campaigning as an anti-austerity crusader before eventually accepting a third EU bailout and the economic cutbacks that entailed.

In parts of the country, there was also a backlash against a controversial agreement with North Macedonia that ended a bitter 27-year dispute over the country's name.

New parties&nbsp;

The new smaller parties fighting to secure representation are Greek Solution, a nationalist party formed by TV salesman Kyriakos Velopoulos, and MeRA25, an anti-austerity party founded by maverick economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.

According to the exit polls, Varoufakis's party could elect nine lawmakers.

Greek Solution could end up with 10 deputies, while neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn looks likely to be shut out of parliament for the first time since 2012.

Golden Dawn, until recently Greece's third-ranking party, is in steep decline amid an ongoing trial for the 2013 murder of an anti-fascist rapper, allegedly carried out with the knowledge of senior Golden Dawn members.

Mitsotakis has promised to hit the ground running. A Eurogroup finance meeting on Monday will convene to discuss the state of Greece's economy after tax cuts rolled out by Tsipras in May. 
&nbsp;

Greece's conservative prime minister-elect Kyriakos Mitsotakis vowed that the country would "proudly" enter a post-bailout period of "jobs, security and growth" after winning a landslide victory in Sunday's general election.

Greece's conservative prime minister-elect Kyriakos Mitsotakis vowed that the country would "proudly" enter a post-bailout period of "jobs, security and growth" after winning a landslide victory in Sunday's general election. Official results showed Mitsotakis on track to crush leftist premier Alexis Tsipras, who oversaw austerity measures after Greece's dramatic rescue by international creditors in the European debt crisis. "A painful cycle has closed," Mitsotakis said in a televised address, adding that Greece would "proudly raise its head again" on his watch. "I will not fail to honour your hopes," he said as early congratulation calls came from outgoing European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. With official results from 94 per cent of polling stations, New Democracy scored a crushing victory by nearly 40 per cent its best score in over a decade to 31.5 per cent for Tsipras's leftist Syriza party. "I want to see this person prosper. I want to see the children who left to return," he later told party supporters. Mitsotakis will be sworn in as Greece's new prime minister on Monday. Tsipras had earlier admitted defeat after over four years in power that saw Greece emerge from its third bailout. The 44-year-old warned that his Syriza party would "dynamically" resist efforts to scale back the party's pro-labour reforms. If the results are confirmed, the 51-year-old Harvard graduate and former McKinsey consultant Mitsotakis will have a majority of 158 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament. Tsipras's party will have 86 seats. The final number will depend on how smaller parties fare. They need at least 3.0 per cent of the vote to enter parliament. A family affair New Democracy was last in power in 2014, in coalition with the Greek socialists. Mitsotakis is a scion of one of Greece's top political families. He is the son of former prime minister Constantine Mitsotakis, one of the country's longest-serving parliamentarians. His sister is former minister Dora Bakoyannis, Athens's first female mayor. And new Athens mayor Costas Bakoyannis, elected in May, is his nephew. Sunday's election was Greece's third in as many months and the first held in midsummer since 1928. In May, New Democracy beat Syriza by nearly 9.5 points in European parliament elections. A week later, it completed a near-sweep of Greek regions in local elections. After that, Tsipras was forced to call an early general election. His term was scheduled to end in the autumn. 'Chance to recover' Greece's youngest premier in more than a century, Tsipras had trailed in the polls for months amid widespread dissatisfaction over high taxes. "Greece is exiting 10 years of crisis and the new government will have the heavy task to give a chance to the country to recover completely or to sink", 36-year-old Aphrodite told AFP, as she cast her vote in the bohemian downtown Athens neighbourhood of Exarcheia. "I hope that from tomorrow we will be able to breathe with relief. To take a deep breath, if Mitsotakis does what he promises," added Athinodoros, a 48-year-old self-employed worker. Tsipras has accused Mitsotakis who was part of a 2012-2014 crisis government of "disastrous" mismanagement that brought hundreds of thousands of job losses and business failures. Mitsotakis has now pledged to create "better" jobs through growth, foreign investment and tax cuts and to "steamroll" obstacles to business. Tsipras who reduced unemployment and raised the minimum wage for the first time since 2012 was criticized for campaigning as an anti-austerity crusader before eventually accepting a third EU bailout and the economic cutbacks that entailed. In parts of the country, there was also a backlash against a controversial agreement with North Macedonia that ended a bitter 27-year dispute over the country's name. New parties The new smaller parties fighting to secure representation are Greek Solution, a nationalist party formed by TV salesman Kyriakos Velopoulos, and MeRA25, an anti-austerity party founded by maverick economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. According to the exit polls, Varoufakis's party could elect nine lawmakers. Greek Solution could end up with 10 deputies, while neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn looks likely to be shut out of parliament for the first time since 2012. Golden Dawn, until recently Greece's third-ranking party, is in steep decline amid an ongoing trial for the 2013 murder of an anti-fascist rapper, allegedly carried out with the knowledge of senior Golden Dawn members. Mitsotakis has promised to hit the ground running. A Eurogroup finance meeting on Monday will convene to discuss the state of Greece's economy after tax cuts rolled out by Tsipras in May.

Painful cycle has closed, says Greek PM-elect Mitsotakis after landslide victory in polls

Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan recently attracted criticism after she was spotted carrying a handbag that was priced $50,000 during her trip to Japan with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Photos of Emine Erdogan's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo with President Recep Erdogan caught the attention of social media users who were quick to point out $50,000 French high fashion luxury brand Hermes handbag of Turkey's first lady.&nbsp;

The price tag of the handbag was equivalent to a year's minimum wage of 11 people when Turkey is trying to recover from a currency crisis, reported Ahval news.

The Erdogans in the past have come under criticism for their lavish lifestyle, which critics claim, contradicts their seemingly humble and pious discourse.

"While the citizens struggle with price hikes, the Palace does not step back from luxury," Cumhuriyet newspaper remarked in reference to the 1,150-room presidential complex built under Erdogan's rule.&nbsp;

The limited edition bag in black shiny alligator variant is big enough to -- as it says in its description--- fit an iPhone Plus.

Similarly, US first lady Melania Trump stirred controversy with an ultra expensive Hermès Birkin black crocodile bag back in June.

The price tag of the luxury handbag was said to be about $63,000.

Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan recently attracted criticism after she was spotted carrying a handbag that was priced $50,000 during her trip to Japan with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdogan recently attracted criticism after she was spotted carrying a handbag that was priced $50,000 during her trip to Japan with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photos of Emine Erdogan's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo with President Recep Erdogan caught the attention of social media users who were quick to point out $50,000 French high fashion luxury brand Hermes handbag of Turkey's first lady. The price tag of the handbag was equivalent to a year's minimum wage of 11 people when Turkey is trying to recover from a currency crisis, reported Ahval news. The Erdogans in the past have come under criticism for their lavish lifestyle, which critics claim, contradicts their seemingly humble and pious discourse. "While the citizens struggle with price hikes, the Palace does not step back from luxury," Cumhuriyet newspaper remarked in reference to the 1,150-room presidential complex built under Erdogan's rule. The limited edition bag in black shiny alligator variant is big enough to -- as it says in its description--- fit an iPhone Plus. Similarly, US first lady Melania Trump stirred controversy with an ultra expensive Hermès Birkin black crocodile bag back in June. The price tag of the luxury handbag was said to be about $63,000.

Turkey's First Lady criticised for carrying $50,000 handbag: Report

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with a whole host of leaders Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan among others on the second and final day of the 14th G20 Summit before his departure to New Delhi on Saturday.&nbsp;

Meeting with President Xi came towards the end of the summit and both the leaders were seen interacting with each other.

During PM Modi's bilateral with Erdogan, the latter raised his country's deal with Russia for S400. The US has threatened sanctions on Ankara if Turkey goes ahead with the deal.

External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "There was a general discussion as to how the two countries can cooperate in defence cooperation and see on the possibility of working together".

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Kithana acha he Modi! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/G20OsakaSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#G20OsakaSummit</a> <a href="https://t.co/BC6DyuX4lf">pic.twitter.com/BC6DyuX4lf</a>
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP/status/1144754448587079680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Modi started the day with meetings with Brazilian President Jair M. Bolsonaro and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. During the meet with the Indonesian president, the focus was on defence, Indo-Pacific and trade.&nbsp;

PM had visited Indonesia last year and established a comprehensive strategic partnership. Both are also looking at maritime connectivity, especially, between the westernmost Indonesian province of Aceh and India's the Andaman Islands.

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Mate, I’m stoked about the energy of our bilateral relationship! <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottMorrisonMP</a> <a href="https://t.co/RdvaWsqlwY">https://t.co/RdvaWsqlwY</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1144822260319920128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Modi's last bilateral meeting was with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Earlier in the day, Scot Morrison tweeted, "Kithana acha he Modi!", to which PM Modi responded, "Mate, I’m stoked about the energy of our bilateral relationship!"

All in all, the PM had nine bilaterals and 8 pull-asides at the G20 besides participating in two trilaterals - JAI, RIC - and the BRICS informal meet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with a whole host of leaders Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan among others on the second and final day of the 14th G20 Summit before his departure to New Delhi on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with a whole host of leaders Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan among others on the second and final day of the 14th G20 Summit before his departure to New Delhi on Saturday. Meeting with President Xi came towards the end of the summit and both the leaders were seen interacting with each other. During PM Modi's bilateral with Erdogan, the latter raised his country's deal with Russia for S400. The US has threatened sanctions on Ankara if Turkey goes ahead with the deal. External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "There was a general discussion as to how the two countries can cooperate in defence cooperation and see on the possibility of working together". Kithana acha he Modi! #G20OsakaSummit pic.twitter.com/BC6DyuX4lf — Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) June 28, 2019 × Modi started the day with meetings with Brazilian President Jair M. Bolsonaro and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. During the meet with the Indonesian president, the focus was on defence, Indo-Pacific and trade. PM had visited Indonesia last year and established a comprehensive strategic partnership. Both are also looking at maritime connectivity, especially, between the westernmost Indonesian province of Aceh and India's the Andaman Islands. Mate, I’m stoked about the energy of our bilateral relationship! @ScottMorrisonMP https://t.co/RdvaWsqlwY — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 29, 2019 × Modi's last bilateral meeting was with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Earlier in the day, Scot Morrison tweeted, "Kithana acha he Modi!", to which PM Modi responded, "Mate, I’m stoked about the energy of our bilateral relationship!" All in all, the PM had nine bilaterals and 8 pull-asides at the G20 besides participating in two trilaterals - JAI, RIC - and the BRICS informal meet.

PM Modi holds 20 bilaterals, pull-asides on day 2 of G20 Summit 

A Turkish court on Tuesday lifted the house arrest of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-consulate-employee-in-turkey-charged-with-espionage-194446">US consulate</a> staffer charged with terrorism offences, just days before President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggis-killers-will-pay-the-price-says-turkish-president-228875">Recep Tayyip Erdogan</a> is due to meet US counterpart Donald Trump, an embassy official told AFP.

Mete Canturk is one of three consulate staffers arrested for links to a group accused of an attempted coup in 2016.&nbsp;

Canturk, a Turkish citizen, still faces trial and is barred from leaving the country, with his next hearing set for October 2.&nbsp;

US charge d'affaires Jeffrey Hovenier welcomed the decision to release him from house arrest.

"We continue to see no evidence to support the charges brought against him and we reiterate our call for this process as well as other processes involving our unjustly detained staff to be resolved quickly, transparently and fairly," said Hovenier.

Relations between Ankara and Washington have been strained over several issues, including Turkey's purchase of a Russian missile defence system and US support for a Kurdish militia in Syria.

Erdogan is due to meet Trump this week on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.&nbsp;

A Turkish-American former NASA scientist, Serkan Golge, detained in Turkey for nearly three years on similar terrorism charges, was released in May.&nbsp;

Another Istanbul consulate staffer, Metin Topuz, who also faces espionage charges, is due back in court this week.

A third staffer, Hamza Ulucay, from the Adana consulate, has already been sentenced to 4.5 years for "aiding a terror organisation".

They are suspected of links to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for orchestrating the failed coup.

A Turkish court on Tuesday lifted the house arrest of a US consulate staffer charged with terrorism offences, just days before President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to meet US counterpart Donald Trump, an embassy official told AFP.

A Turkish court on Tuesday lifted the house arrest of a US consulate staffer charged with terrorism offences, just days before President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to meet US counterpart Donald Trump, an embassy official told AFP. Mete Canturk is one of three consulate staffers arrested for links to a group accused of an attempted coup in 2016. Canturk, a Turkish citizen, still faces trial and is barred from leaving the country, with his next hearing set for October 2. US charge d'affaires Jeffrey Hovenier welcomed the decision to release him from house arrest. "We continue to see no evidence to support the charges brought against him and we reiterate our call for this process as well as other processes involving our unjustly detained staff to be resolved quickly, transparently and fairly," said Hovenier. Relations between Ankara and Washington have been strained over several issues, including Turkey's purchase of a Russian missile defence system and US support for a Kurdish militia in Syria. Erdogan is due to meet Trump this week on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. A Turkish-American former NASA scientist, Serkan Golge, detained in Turkey for nearly three years on similar terrorism charges, was released in May. Another Istanbul consulate staffer, Metin Topuz, who also faces espionage charges, is due back in court this week. A third staffer, Hamza Ulucay, from the Adana consulate, has already been sentenced to 4.5 years for "aiding a terror organisation". They are suspected of links to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for orchestrating the failed coup.

Turkey court lifts house arrest on United States consulate staffer

Shortly upon the release of a UN report regarding <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jamal-khashoggis-killing-a-murder-that-shook-2018-186106">Jamal Khashoggi's</a> killing, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mesut-ozil-marries-in-istanbul-with-turkish-president-erdogan-as-best-man-225674">Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan</a> on Wednesday said that late journalist's killers "will pay the price."

"(They will) pay the price and be held accountable," Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying during an event in Istanbul.

Khashoggi, who worked as a journalist for The Washington Post, was killed after entering Saudi Arabia's consulate here in October last year.

Even though Riyadh has outrightly rejected all allegations against it, Erdogan added that the Kingdom was guilty and had prior knowledge of the murder, as per the Turkish news agency.

An independent investigation led by the UN extrajudicial executions investigator, Agnes Callamard, held Saudi Arabia responsible for the scribe's "extrajudicial killing."

The report released on Wednesday revealed that the late Saudi Arabian journalist was the victim of a "deliberate, premeditated execution," according to CNN.

The Kingdom has dismissed the report.

While Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of Khashoggi's killing, Saudi officials later claimed that a group of rogue operators, many of whom belong to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's inner circle, were responsible for the journalist's death. The Saudi attorney general later confirmed that Khashoggi was killed in a premeditated murder.

The special rapporteur, however, does not make any conclusions over the role of the Saudi Crown Prince and King in the murder case.

Instead, Callamard says that there is "credible evidence meriting further investigation by a proper authority" as to whether the "threshold of criminal responsibility has been met."

Saudi Arabia began the trial for 11 suspects in the murder case earlier this year, after rejecting Erdogan's call for the suspected Saudi nationals to be extradited to Turkey to face trial in the nation where the crime took place.

Shortly upon the release of a UN report regarding Jamal Khashoggi's killing, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that late journalist's killers "will pay the price.

Shortly upon the release of a UN report regarding Jamal Khashoggi's killing, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said that late journalist's killers "will pay the price." "(They will) pay the price and be held accountable," Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying during an event in Istanbul. Khashoggi, who worked as a journalist for The Washington Post, was killed after entering Saudi Arabia's consulate here in October last year. Even though Riyadh has outrightly rejected all allegations against it, Erdogan added that the Kingdom was guilty and had prior knowledge of the murder, as per the Turkish news agency. An independent investigation led by the UN extrajudicial executions investigator, Agnes Callamard, held Saudi Arabia responsible for the scribe's "extrajudicial killing." The report released on Wednesday revealed that the late Saudi Arabian journalist was the victim of a "deliberate, premeditated execution," according to CNN. The Kingdom has dismissed the report. While Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of Khashoggi's killing, Saudi officials later claimed that a group of rogue operators, many of whom belong to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's inner circle, were responsible for the journalist's death. The Saudi attorney general later confirmed that Khashoggi was killed in a premeditated murder. The special rapporteur, however, does not make any conclusions over the role of the Saudi Crown Prince and King in the murder case. Instead, Callamard says that there is "credible evidence meriting further investigation by a proper authority" as to whether the "threshold of criminal responsibility has been met." Saudi Arabia began the trial for 11 suspects in the murder case earlier this year, after rejecting Erdogan's call for the suspected Saudi nationals to be extradited to Turkey to face trial in the nation where the crime took place.

Jamal Khashoggi's killers will pay the price, says Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Saudi Arabia will pay a price for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Watch this video to know more.

Khashoggi Murder: Turkey says Saudi will pay the price

Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi died on Monday in a Cairo hospital after fainting during a session in court, judicial and security sources said.

"He was speaking before the judge for 20 minutes then became very animated and fainted. He was quickly rushed to the hospital where he later died," a judicial source said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a strong ally of the Islamist president during his brief tenure as Egypt's leader, paid tribute to Morsi and called him a "martyr".

The official Al-Ahram news website also reported the death of Morsi, 67, who was Egypt's first democratically elected president but spent just one turbulent year in office after the 2011 uprising before the army toppled him in 2013.

The Islamist leader has been in prison since his ouster on trial for several cases including for spying for Iran, Qatar and militant groups such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He was also accused of plotting terror acts.

Since his overthrow on July 3, 2013, his former defence minister now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has waged an ongoing crackdown targeting his supporters from the Muslim Brotherhood with thousands jailed and hundreds facing death sentences.

The years following Morsi's overthrow have seen a surge in bombings and shootings targeting security forces, particularly in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula, a stronghold of the Islamic State group.

Morsi's turbulent rule was marked by deep divisions in Egyptian society, a crippling economic crisis and often-deadly opposition protests.

Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi died on Monday in a Cairo hospital after fainting during a session in court, judicial and security sources said. "He was speaking before the judge for 20 minutes then became very animated and fainted.

Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi died on Monday in a Cairo hospital after fainting during a session in court, judicial and security sources said. "He was speaking before the judge for 20 minutes then became very animated and fainted. He was quickly rushed to the hospital where he later died," a judicial source said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a strong ally of the Islamist president during his brief tenure as Egypt's leader, paid tribute to Morsi and called him a "martyr". The official Al-Ahram news website also reported the death of Morsi, 67, who was Egypt's first democratically elected president but spent just one turbulent year in office after the 2011 uprising before the army toppled him in 2013. The Islamist leader has been in prison since his ouster on trial for several cases including for spying for Iran, Qatar and militant groups such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He was also accused of plotting terror acts. Since his overthrow on July 3, 2013, his former defence minister now President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has waged an ongoing crackdown targeting his supporters from the Muslim Brotherhood with thousands jailed and hundreds facing death sentences. The years following Morsi's overthrow have seen a surge in bombings and shootings targeting security forces, particularly in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula, a stronghold of the Islamic State group. Morsi's turbulent rule was marked by deep divisions in Egyptian society, a crippling economic crisis and often-deadly opposition protests.

Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi dies: Report

Turkish police on Tuesday launched nationwide raids to detain 168 individuals suspected of ties to the group blamed for a 2016 coup attempt, state media reported.

Since the failed overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, authorities have detained tens of thousands of individuals accused of links to the group led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey accuses Gulen of ordering the attempted putsch, which he strongly denies.

The Izmir public prosecutor in the Aegean region issued arrest warrants for 65 suspects across 30 provinces including a colonel and lieutenant as part of a probe into the movement's presence inside the armed forces, state news agency Anadolu reported.

The agency said another 22 suspects were sought by police. Some were accused of using an encrypted messaging application which authorities suspect was also used to coordinate the coup bid.

And in another probe in central Turkey, the Konya public prosecutor issued detention warrants for 63 individuals, including soldiers across 30 provinces as well, Anadolu said.

In the capital, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said police sought to arrest 18 suspects in eight provinces including former personnel from the foreign and health ministries.

A total of 28 suspects had already been rounded up across Turkey including 11 in Ankara, &nbsp;the reports said.

More than 140,000 public sector employees have been sacked or suspected over alleged links to Gulen since 2016.

There have been almost daily raids across the country with hundreds of detentions in recent months despite criticism from Western allies and rights defenders who accuse the government of using the purge to crackdown on dissent.

But Turkish officials insist the raids are necessary to remove Gulen's influence in state institutions.

Turkish police on Tuesday launched nationwide raids to detain 168 individuals suspected of ties to the group blamed for a 2016 coup attempt, state media reported.

Turkish police on Tuesday launched nationwide raids to detain 168 individuals suspected of ties to the group blamed for a 2016 coup attempt, state media reported. Since the failed overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, authorities have detained tens of thousands of individuals accused of links to the group led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen. Turkey accuses Gulen of ordering the attempted putsch, which he strongly denies. The Izmir public prosecutor in the Aegean region issued arrest warrants for 65 suspects across 30 provinces including a colonel and lieutenant as part of a probe into the movement's presence inside the armed forces, state news agency Anadolu reported. The agency said another 22 suspects were sought by police. Some were accused of using an encrypted messaging application which authorities suspect was also used to coordinate the coup bid. And in another probe in central Turkey, the Konya public prosecutor issued detention warrants for 63 individuals, including soldiers across 30 provinces as well, Anadolu said. In the capital, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said police sought to arrest 18 suspects in eight provinces including former personnel from the foreign and health ministries. A total of 28 suspects had already been rounded up across Turkey including 11 in Ankara, the reports said. More than 140,000 public sector employees have been sacked or suspected over alleged links to Gulen since 2016. There have been almost daily raids across the country with hundreds of detentions in recent months despite criticism from Western allies and rights defenders who accuse the government of using the purge to crackdown on dissent. But Turkish officials insist the raids are necessary to remove Gulen's influence in state institutions.

Turkey orders arrest of dozens more over alleged coup ties

Former German international football Mesut&nbsp;Ozil&nbsp;was married in Istanbul on Friday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as his best man.

The 30-year-old&nbsp;Ozil, who has Turkish family roots, sparked controversy last year when he was photographed with Erdogan, raising questions about the footballer's loyalty to Germany on the eve of their disastrous 2018 World Cup campaign.

The Turkish leader arrived in the early evening for Friday's ceremony at a luxury hotel on the banks of the Bosphorus to see the former Arsenal midfielder marry his fiancee, former Miss Turkey Amine Gulse.

A smiling Erdogan and his wife Emine were seen standing next to the young couple as their marriage was formalised.

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Mrs. &amp; Mr. Özil 👰🏻❤🤵🏻 <a href="https://t.co/DxJdla17pE">pic.twitter.com/DxJdla17pE</a>
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) <a href="https://twitter.com/MesutOzil1088/status/1137104930974646273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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After 92 appearances for Germany, including a key role in the 2014 World Cup victory,&nbsp;Ozil&nbsp;suddenly quit the national squad last July, accusing German football officials of racism.

Ozil&nbsp;announced in March that he had asked Erdogan to be his best man.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff was part of a chorus of criticism of the invitation.&nbsp;

Helge Braun, a CDU told the Bild newspaper then that it "makes one sad" that&nbsp;Ozilwould make a such a move despite having already been sharply criticised by the German public over his first meeting with Erdogan.&nbsp;

Ozil&nbsp;has dated Gulse since 2017 and the couple announced their engagement in June 2018.

The footballer, a third-generation German, whipped up a political storm when he was pictured alongside Erdogan last May.

Criticism intensified after the red-faced defending champions crashed out of the first round of the World Cup in Russia.

In the wake of the World Cup fiasco,&nbsp;Ozil&nbsp;announced his resignation from the national squad, saying: "I am German when we win, an immigrant when we lose".

Erdogan often attends marriages in Turkey of celebrities, whom he particularly seeks out during election campaigns.

His presence at&nbsp;Ozil's marriage comes ahead of a mayoral election in Istanbul on June 23, required after the original voting in March was annulled following a narrow victory for the main opposition Republican People's Party.

Former German international football Mesut Ozil was married in Istanbul on Friday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as his best man. The 30-year-old Ozil, who has Turkish family roots, sparked controversy last year when he was photographed with Erdogan, raising questions about the footballer's loyalty to Germany on the eve of their disastrous 2018 World Cup campaign.

Former German international football Mesut Ozil was married in Istanbul on Friday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as his best man. The 30-year-old Ozil, who has Turkish family roots, sparked controversy last year when he was photographed with Erdogan, raising questions about the footballer's loyalty to Germany on the eve of their disastrous 2018 World Cup campaign. The Turkish leader arrived in the early evening for Friday's ceremony at a luxury hotel on the banks of the Bosphorus to see the former Arsenal midfielder marry his fiancee, former Miss Turkey Amine Gulse. A smiling Erdogan and his wife Emine were seen standing next to the young couple as their marriage was formalised. Mrs. & Mr. Özil 👰🏻❤🤵🏻 pic.twitter.com/DxJdla17pE — Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) June 7, 2019 × After 92 appearances for Germany, including a key role in the 2014 World Cup victory, Ozil suddenly quit the national squad last July, accusing German football officials of racism. Ozil announced in March that he had asked Erdogan to be his best man. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff was part of a chorus of criticism of the invitation. Helge Braun, a CDU told the Bild newspaper then that it "makes one sad" that Ozilwould make a such a move despite having already been sharply criticised by the German public over his first meeting with Erdogan. Ozil has dated Gulse since 2017 and the couple announced their engagement in June 2018. The footballer, a third-generation German, whipped up a political storm when he was pictured alongside Erdogan last May. Criticism intensified after the red-faced defending champions crashed out of the first round of the World Cup in Russia. In the wake of the World Cup fiasco, Ozil announced his resignation from the national squad, saying: "I am German when we win, an immigrant when we lose". Erdogan often attends marriages in Turkey of celebrities, whom he particularly seeks out during election campaigns. His presence at Ozil's marriage comes ahead of a mayoral election in Istanbul on June 23, required after the original voting in March was annulled following a narrow victory for the main opposition Republican People's Party.

Mesut Ozil marries in Istanbul, with Turkish President Erdogan as best man

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkish-opposition-erdogans-mandate-must-also-be-revoked-if-istanbul-poll-annulled-217154">Turkish authorities</a> on Monday ordered the arrest of 249 past and present foreign ministry personnel suspected of ties to the group blamed for a failed 2016 coup, the prosecutor's office said.&nbsp;

At least 78 have already been detained, the office in the capital Ankara said.&nbsp;

The latest crackdown is part of a probe in 42 cities into alleged irregularities in the foreign ministry entrance exam in favour of members of a movement led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen.&nbsp;

The suspects joined the foreign ministry between 2010 and 2013, according to the prosecutor's office.

Fourteen are currently serving in the ministry, while the rest had already been removed from their posts, a judicial source told AFP.

Ankara blames Gulen and his followers for orchestrating a failed coup in 2016 aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The movement denies the allegations and insists it is a peaceful group promoting education and moderate Islam.

Tens of thousands of public sector workers, including teachers, judges and soldiers, have been sacked or suspended since the attempted coup.

Turkish authorities say it has been necessary to remove Gulen's "virus" from state institutions, but activists and Western allies have strongly criticised the magnitude of the crackdown.

Turkish authorities on Monday ordered the arrest of 249 past and present foreign ministry personnel suspected of ties to the group blamed for a failed 2016 coup, the prosecutor's office said.

Turkish authorities on Monday ordered the arrest of 249 past and present foreign ministry personnel suspected of ties to the group blamed for a failed 2016 coup, the prosecutor's office said. At least 78 have already been detained, the office in the capital Ankara said. The latest crackdown is part of a probe in 42 cities into alleged irregularities in the foreign ministry entrance exam in favour of members of a movement led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen. The suspects joined the foreign ministry between 2010 and 2013, according to the prosecutor's office. Fourteen are currently serving in the ministry, while the rest had already been removed from their posts, a judicial source told AFP. Ankara blames Gulen and his followers for orchestrating a failed coup in 2016 aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The movement denies the allegations and insists it is a peaceful group promoting education and moderate Islam. Tens of thousands of public sector workers, including teachers, judges and soldiers, have been sacked or suspended since the attempted coup. Turkish authorities say it has been necessary to remove Gulen's "virus" from state institutions, but activists and Western allies have strongly criticised the magnitude of the crackdown.

Turkey orders arrest of 249 foreign ministry staff

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey and Russia would jointly produce S-500 defence systems after Ankara's controversial purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Moscow.

Turkey's push to buy the S-400s has further strained already tense relations with the United States which has repeatedly warned Ankara of the risks including sanctions as a result of the purchase.

"There is absolutely no question of (Turkey) taking a step back from the S-400s purchase. That is a done deal," Erdogan said in Istanbul.

"There will be joint production of the S-500 after the S-400," Erdogan told an audience of young people asking questions.

Ties between NATO allies Turkey and the US have frayed over multiple issues including American support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Ankara and the US failure to extradite a Muslim preacher blamed for the 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan.

Washington says the deal with Moscow is a threat to Western defence and in April suspended deliveries of the F-35 stealth fighter jet to Turkey in a bid to halt the purchase.

Turkish pilots are in the US receiving training on the F-35s, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Turkey is expected to buy 100 of the jets in total.

Erdogan said Turkey conducted technical studies amid US concerns over the compatibility of the S-400s and the F-35s but found there were no issues.

He also insisted "sooner or later" Turkey would receive the F-35 jets.

Despite the threat of sanctions, Erdogan repeated that the S-400s were expected to be delivered in July, "but this could be brought forward", he added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey and Russia would jointly produce S-500 defence systems after Ankara's controversial purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Moscow.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey and Russia would jointly produce S-500 defence systems after Ankara's controversial purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Moscow. Turkey's push to buy the S-400s has further strained already tense relations with the United States which has repeatedly warned Ankara of the risks including sanctions as a result of the purchase. "There is absolutely no question of (Turkey) taking a step back from the S-400s purchase. That is a done deal," Erdogan said in Istanbul. "There will be joint production of the S-500 after the S-400," Erdogan told an audience of young people asking questions. Ties between NATO allies Turkey and the US have frayed over multiple issues including American support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Ankara and the US failure to extradite a Muslim preacher blamed for the 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan. Washington says the deal with Moscow is a threat to Western defence and in April suspended deliveries of the F-35 stealth fighter jet to Turkey in a bid to halt the purchase. Turkish pilots are in the US receiving training on the F-35s, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Turkey is expected to buy 100 of the jets in total. Erdogan said Turkey conducted technical studies amid US concerns over the compatibility of the S-400s and the F-35s but found there were no issues. He also insisted "sooner or later" Turkey would receive the F-35 jets. Despite the threat of sanctions, Erdogan repeated that the S-400s were expected to be delivered in July, "but this could be brought forward", he added.

Turkey says to produce S-500s with Russia after S-400 missile deal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Syrian regime of "seeking to sabotage" Ankara's relationship with Russia through its latest offensive in the northwest of the war-torn country.

Clashes in Idlib province in northwestern Syria have killed at least 42 fighters in 24 hours, a monitor said Monday, and the regime bombardment on the region has devastated health services.

Idlib's three million inhabitants are supposed to be protected by a buffer zone deal signed last September by Russia and Turkey.

Erdogan told his Russian counterpart,<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-will-meet-vladimir-putin-on-thursday-in-russias-far-east-confirms-russia-212962"> Vladimir Putin</a>, during a phone call late on Monday that the offensive by President Bashar al-Assad's forces "sought to sabotage Turkish-Russian cooperation," according to Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, on Twitter.

The readout of the phone call made no mention of the fact that Russian forces are involved in the Syrian offensive.&nbsp;

Russia and Turkey are on opposing sides of the conflict, with Moscow strongly supporting Assad, while Ankara has called for his ouster and supported Syrian rebels in the civil war since it began in 2011.

However, Turkey and Russia have worked closely, along with Iran, to find a political solution to the conflict.&nbsp;

Erdogan lamented that "the regime's ceasefire violations targeting the Idlib de-escalation zone over the last two weeks have reached an alarming dimension."

He said it was impossible to explain it as a counter-terror effort given the number of casualties and damage to health services.

The Turkish leader also warned that the attacks risked undermining the fate of the political process in Syria.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 16 loyalists and 19 jihadists died between Sunday and Monday in clashes in the area of Jabal al-Akrad in Latakia province, which lies on the bastion's northwestern edge.

Russian and regime aircraft bombarded the area on Monday, while they also hit southern parts of the jihadist stronghold, said the Britain-based war monitor.

HTS and its allies launched a counter-attack late Monday, bombing areas in the north of the province and sparking fierce clashes on the ground, according to the Observatory.

The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Syrian regime of "seeking to sabotage" Ankara's relationship with Russia through its latest offensive in the northwest of the war-torn country.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Syrian regime of "seeking to sabotage" Ankara's relationship with Russia through its latest offensive in the northwest of the war-torn country. Clashes in Idlib province in northwestern Syria have killed at least 42 fighters in 24 hours, a monitor said Monday, and the regime bombardment on the region has devastated health services. Idlib's three million inhabitants are supposed to be protected by a buffer zone deal signed last September by Russia and Turkey. Erdogan told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, during a phone call late on Monday that the offensive by President Bashar al-Assad's forces "sought to sabotage Turkish-Russian cooperation," according to Fahrettin Altun, communications director at the Turkish presidency, on Twitter. The readout of the phone call made no mention of the fact that Russian forces are involved in the Syrian offensive. Russia and Turkey are on opposing sides of the conflict, with Moscow strongly supporting Assad, while Ankara has called for his ouster and supported Syrian rebels in the civil war since it began in 2011. However, Turkey and Russia have worked closely, along with Iran, to find a political solution to the conflict. Erdogan lamented that "the regime's ceasefire violations targeting the Idlib de-escalation zone over the last two weeks have reached an alarming dimension." He said it was impossible to explain it as a counter-terror effort given the number of casualties and damage to health services. The Turkish leader also warned that the attacks risked undermining the fate of the political process in Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, controls most of Idlib province as well as parts of neighbouring Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 16 loyalists and 19 jihadists died between Sunday and Monday in clashes in the area of Jabal al-Akrad in Latakia province, which lies on the bastion's northwestern edge. Russian and regime aircraft bombarded the area on Monday, while they also hit southern parts of the jihadist stronghold, said the Britain-based war monitor. HTS and its allies launched a counter-attack late Monday, bombing areas in the north of the province and sparking fierce clashes on the ground, according to the Observatory. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

Erdogan accuses Syria regime of undermining Turkey-Russia deal

India and Turkey on Wednesday vowed to strengthen economic relations with the aim of reaching $10 billion bilateral trade by 2020.

Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, who is on a three-day visit to India since May 7, held talks with Gitesh A Sarma, Secretary (West) under the institutional mechanism of foreign office consultations.

"Deputy Foreign Minister Onal and Secretary (West) held cordial discussions on various aspects of bilateral ties including examining opportunities for enhancing trade and investment relations. Currently, the bilateral trade stands at around $8.6 billion with a target to reach $10 billion by 2020," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Other aspects such as enhanced cultural interaction, tourism, people-to-people contacts were also discussed, it added.

India and Turkey reviewed the current situation in their respective regions and also exchanged views on several multilateral issues.

"The visit of Deputy Foreign Minister Onal is part of the regular exchange between the two countries," the statement said.

Onal had earlier visited India as part of the delegation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May 2017.

"India and Turkey enjoy close, friendly and deep-rooted ties dating back to several centuries and share civilizational links. The recent political exchanges have imparted fresh momentum to our bilateral ties and opened several new avenues for cooperation," the MEA statement said.&nbsp;

India and Turkey on Wednesday vowed to strengthen economic relations with the aim of reaching $10 billion bilateral trade by 2020. Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, who is on a three-day visit to India since May 7, held talks with Gitesh A Sarma, Secretary (West) under the institutional mechanism of foreign office consultations.

India and Turkey on Wednesday vowed to strengthen economic relations with the aim of reaching $10 billion bilateral trade by 2020. Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal, who is on a three-day visit to India since May 7, held talks with Gitesh A Sarma, Secretary (West) under the institutional mechanism of foreign office consultations. "Deputy Foreign Minister Onal and Secretary (West) held cordial discussions on various aspects of bilateral ties including examining opportunities for enhancing trade and investment relations. Currently, the bilateral trade stands at around $8.6 billion with a target to reach $10 billion by 2020," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. Other aspects such as enhanced cultural interaction, tourism, people-to-people contacts were also discussed, it added. India and Turkey reviewed the current situation in their respective regions and also exchanged views on several multilateral issues. "The visit of Deputy Foreign Minister Onal is part of the regular exchange between the two countries," the statement said. Onal had earlier visited India as part of the delegation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May 2017. "India and Turkey enjoy close, friendly and deep-rooted ties dating back to several centuries and share civilizational links. The recent political exchanges have imparted fresh momentum to our bilateral ties and opened several new avenues for cooperation," the MEA statement said.

India, Turkey agree to boost trade, investment ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upped his war of words Saturday with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for creating a day of remembrance for the 1915 Armenian "genocide".

Macron decided in February to formally to mark the mass killings and forced deportations of Armenians by troops from the Ottoman Empire -- which preceded modern-day Turkey and sided with German and Austro-Hungary in World War I.

France on Wednesday held its first "national day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide".

It was the first major European country to recognise the massacres as genocide in 2001 and Macron has said his decision on a commemoration is designed to show Paris "knows how to look history in the face".

But Erdogan, who has urged "political novice" Macron to "focus on massacres committed by French troops during the colonial era" on Saturday again denounced the idea.

"Delivering a message to 700,000 Armenians who live in France will not save you, Monsieur Macron," Erdogan told a gathering of his ruling party in Kizilcahamam, north of Ankara.

"Learn first to be honest in politics -- if you are not you cannot win," said Erdogan, adding he had told Macron his views several times face to face.

Turkish officials have indicated France should look first at its own record, notably in Algeria and its role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.&nbsp;

Rwanda's current government accuses Paris of being complicit in the atrocities committed by the majority Hutu community on minority Tutsis.

France has always denied the allegations and Macron announced the creation of a panel of historians and researchers earlier in April which will be tasked with investigating France's role.

Some 30 countries and a number of historians recognise the 1915 massacre of between 1.2 and 1.5 million Armenians as genocide.

Ankara rejects the term, saying World War I brought countless fatalities on both sides against a further backdrop of famine and civil war.

Armenians commemorate the massacres on April 24 -- the day in 1915 when thousands of Armenian intellectuals suspected of harbouring nationalist sentiment and being hostile to Ottoman rule were rounded up.

At the Paris commemoration, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared France wanted to contribute to having the massacre internationally recognised as a crime against humanity.

He added Paris "will not be impressed by any lies" on the matter nad supported "historical accuracy and reconciliation".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upped his war of words Saturday with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for creating a day of remembrance for the 1915 Armenian "genocide".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upped his war of words Saturday with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for creating a day of remembrance for the 1915 Armenian "genocide". Macron decided in February to formally to mark the mass killings and forced deportations of Armenians by troops from the Ottoman Empire -- which preceded modern-day Turkey and sided with German and Austro-Hungary in World War I. France on Wednesday held its first "national day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide". It was the first major European country to recognise the massacres as genocide in 2001 and Macron has said his decision on a commemoration is designed to show Paris "knows how to look history in the face". But Erdogan, who has urged "political novice" Macron to "focus on massacres committed by French troops during the colonial era" on Saturday again denounced the idea. "Delivering a message to 700,000 Armenians who live in France will not save you, Monsieur Macron," Erdogan told a gathering of his ruling party in Kizilcahamam, north of Ankara. "Learn first to be honest in politics -- if you are not you cannot win," said Erdogan, adding he had told Macron his views several times face to face. Turkish officials have indicated France should look first at its own record, notably in Algeria and its role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda's current government accuses Paris of being complicit in the atrocities committed by the majority Hutu community on minority Tutsis. France has always denied the allegations and Macron announced the creation of a panel of historians and researchers earlier in April which will be tasked with investigating France's role. Some 30 countries and a number of historians recognise the 1915 massacre of between 1.2 and 1.5 million Armenians as genocide. Ankara rejects the term, saying World War I brought countless fatalities on both sides against a further backdrop of famine and civil war. Armenians commemorate the massacres on April 24 -- the day in 1915 when thousands of Armenian intellectuals suspected of harbouring nationalist sentiment and being hostile to Ottoman rule were rounded up. At the Paris commemoration, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared France wanted to contribute to having the massacre internationally recognised as a crime against humanity. He added Paris "will not be impressed by any lies" on the matter nad supported "historical accuracy and reconciliation".

Erdogan slams Macron over 'Armenia genocide' remembrance

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Saturday to confront opponents inside his own party weeks after he suffered shock election defeats in the capital Ankara and commercial hub Istanbul.

Erdogan and his supporters have up to now blamed the losses on electoral fraud by unspecified groups and launched a string of legal challenges against the results.

"While we're fighting outside, I have to say, we had people doing us wrong from the inside too," Erdogan said during a speech at an AK Party retreat, without naming any individuals.

"What is going on in which province, in which district, all that information come to us. We know it all ... For the future of this organisation, we will call them to account. We're not going to carry them on our backs."

The president did not spell out what actions he would take. Authorities have suspended or sacked 150,000 civil servants and military personnel in recent years, accusing many of them of being involved in a failed 2016 military coup.

More than 77,000 people have been jailed pending trial and widespread arrests still regularly happen.

Initial results of the March 31 local election showed the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) won the mayoralty of Ankara and control of Istanbul - which AKP and its Islamist predecessors have dominate for 25 years.

Erdogan said the party would keep up its legal campaign challenging the results and calling for recounts.

"Until the last moment, we will continue our legal struggle. It is certain that there is a scam here. We have to get the case resolved, so that we can find peace," he said.

"Although we have won the districts, we will question why we lost the big cities," he added. "We need to focus on what to do and how to evaluate this process, especially in the metropolitan cities."

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Saturday to confront opponents inside his own party weeks after he suffered shock election defeats in the capital Ankara and commercial hub Istanbul.

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Saturday to confront opponents inside his own party weeks after he suffered shock election defeats in the capital Ankara and commercial hub Istanbul. Erdogan and his supporters have up to now blamed the losses on electoral fraud by unspecified groups and launched a string of legal challenges against the results. "While we're fighting outside, I have to say, we had people doing us wrong from the inside too," Erdogan said during a speech at an AK Party retreat, without naming any individuals. "What is going on in which province, in which district, all that information come to us. We know it all ... For the future of this organisation, we will call them to account. We're not going to carry them on our backs." The president did not spell out what actions he would take. Authorities have suspended or sacked 150,000 civil servants and military personnel in recent years, accusing many of them of being involved in a failed 2016 military coup. More than 77,000 people have been jailed pending trial and widespread arrests still regularly happen. Initial results of the March 31 local election showed the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) won the mayoralty of Ankara and control of Istanbul - which AKP and its Islamist predecessors have dominate for 25 years. Erdogan said the party would keep up its legal campaign challenging the results and calling for recounts. "Until the last moment, we will continue our legal struggle. It is certain that there is a scam here. We have to get the case resolved, so that we can find peace," he said. "Although we have won the districts, we will question why we lost the big cities," he added. "We need to focus on what to do and how to evaluate this process, especially in the metropolitan cities."

Turkey's Erdogan vows to confront opponents inside party after vote loss

Turkish police on Monday arrested nine people, including a member of the ruling AKP party, after a mob attack on opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu that sparked widespread criticism.

Kilicdaroglu, 70, of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was assaulted on Sunday in a crowd as he attended a funeral in Ankara for a soldier killed fighting Kurdish militants in the southeast.&nbsp;

The attack came days after the opposition CHP won Ankara and Istanbul from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP in March 31 local elections, seen as a major setback for the ruling party after a decade-and-a-half in power.&nbsp;

A video of Sunday's attack showed the CHP leader being mobbed and punched, then chanting crowds surrounded a house where he was taken for his protection. The images went viral on social media.

CHP leaders blamed Erdogan's AKP for provoking the attack and demanded those detained be held accountable. They called for the interior minister to resign over the incident.

"This is not an ordinary attack, this is not an ordinary provocation. This is planned," CHP Istanbul chief Canan Kaftancioglu told several thousand of supporters at a rally from the top of a bus.

The crowds chanted slogans "Shoulder to shoulder against Fascism," and waved banners reading: "Are you so scared by the CHP's success?" in reference to the AKP's loss of Istanbul and Ankara.

During campaigning for the local polls, Erdogan often accused Kilicdaroglu and the CHP of backing the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and showed videos of the opposition leader at his rallies.

Kilicdaroglu was not badly injured in the assault.

The chief suspect in Sunday's attack, identified only by his initials OS, was arrested in Sivrihisar in central Anatolia and was being taken to Ankara, private NTV television reported.

The AKP later identified him as Osman Sarigun and said he was a party member who would face expulsion.&nbsp;

"AKP is against any form of violence... There is no room for violence in democratic politics," AKP spokesman Omer Celik said on Twitter.

Eight other people have also been detained, officials said.&nbsp;

Speaking to AFP, the CHP's Kaftancioglu welcomed the move to expel the suspect but said the problem was about the polarisation of Turkish society.

"The situation will not change with one person's dismissal unless the mentality encouraging attackers by polarising society changes," she said.

Vote setback

Erdogan had presented the local elections as a matter of national survival. He campaigned heavily even though he was not running in the election himself.

For his supporters, Erdogan is the strong leader Turkey needs to deal with its security threats and is a voice for more religiously conservative Turks.

Critics say Erdogan has stoked divisions by branding foes as enemies of the state and has undermined the rule of law with a broad crackdown on dissent.

The AKP has won every election since coming to power 17 years ago, but voters appeared to punish the party in major cities in this ballot as the economy slid into recession after a currency crisis last year.

Electoral authorities have given the CHP candidates their mandates for the Istanbul and Ankara mayor posts, but Erdogan's AKP is seeking a re-run of the Istanbul vote, citing irregularities.

The CHP's Ekrem Imamoglu won the Istanbul race by a very tight margin after two weeks of recounts.

The CHP held Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu responsible for "provocation" after he said last year he had ordered governors not to allow CHP members to join soldiers' funerals.

Soylu ruled out any "outside provocation" in the incident, and said the main culprit was a relative of the dead soldier.

Turkish police on Monday arrested nine people, including a member of the ruling AKP party, after a mob attack on opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu that sparked widespread criticism.

Turkish police on Monday arrested nine people, including a member of the ruling AKP party, after a mob attack on opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu that sparked widespread criticism. Kilicdaroglu, 70, of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was assaulted on Sunday in a crowd as he attended a funeral in Ankara for a soldier killed fighting Kurdish militants in the southeast. The attack came days after the opposition CHP won Ankara and Istanbul from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP in March 31 local elections, seen as a major setback for the ruling party after a decade-and-a-half in power. A video of Sunday's attack showed the CHP leader being mobbed and punched, then chanting crowds surrounded a house where he was taken for his protection. The images went viral on social media. CHP leaders blamed Erdogan's AKP for provoking the attack and demanded those detained be held accountable. They called for the interior minister to resign over the incident. "This is not an ordinary attack, this is not an ordinary provocation. This is planned," CHP Istanbul chief Canan Kaftancioglu told several thousand of supporters at a rally from the top of a bus. The crowds chanted slogans "Shoulder to shoulder against Fascism," and waved banners reading: "Are you so scared by the CHP's success?" in reference to the AKP's loss of Istanbul and Ankara. During campaigning for the local polls, Erdogan often accused Kilicdaroglu and the CHP of backing the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and showed videos of the opposition leader at his rallies. Kilicdaroglu was not badly injured in the assault. The chief suspect in Sunday's attack, identified only by his initials OS, was arrested in Sivrihisar in central Anatolia and was being taken to Ankara, private NTV television reported. The AKP later identified him as Osman Sarigun and said he was a party member who would face expulsion. "AKP is against any form of violence... There is no room for violence in democratic politics," AKP spokesman Omer Celik said on Twitter. Eight other people have also been detained, officials said. Speaking to AFP, the CHP's Kaftancioglu welcomed the move to expel the suspect but said the problem was about the polarisation of Turkish society. "The situation will not change with one person's dismissal unless the mentality encouraging attackers by polarising society changes," she said. Vote setback Erdogan had presented the local elections as a matter of national survival. He campaigned heavily even though he was not running in the election himself. For his supporters, Erdogan is the strong leader Turkey needs to deal with its security threats and is a voice for more religiously conservative Turks. Critics say Erdogan has stoked divisions by branding foes as enemies of the state and has undermined the rule of law with a broad crackdown on dissent. The AKP has won every election since coming to power 17 years ago, but voters appeared to punish the party in major cities in this ballot as the economy slid into recession after a currency crisis last year. Electoral authorities have given the CHP candidates their mandates for the Istanbul and Ankara mayor posts, but Erdogan's AKP is seeking a re-run of the Istanbul vote, citing irregularities. The CHP's Ekrem Imamoglu won the Istanbul race by a very tight margin after two weeks of recounts. The CHP held Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu responsible for "provocation" after he said last year he had ordered governors not to allow CHP members to join soldiers' funerals. Soylu ruled out any "outside provocation" in the incident, and said the main culprit was a relative of the dead soldier.

Turkish police arrest  ruling AKP party member, eight others after opposition chief attack

Russian President Vladimir <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-putin-to-discuss-syria-in-moscow-208815">Putin and his Turkish counterpart</a> on Monday discussed a missile deal slammed by the US as well as closer military cooperation during a visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Moscow.

The two sides must "strengthen cooperation in the military-technical sphere," Putin told Erdogan as they met in the Kremlin.

"This regard first of all the completion of the contract to supply S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Turkey," he said.&nbsp;

"There are other promising projects on the agenda related to the supply of modern Russian military products to Turkey," Putin added.&nbsp;

NATO member Turkey's missile deal has tested its already soured relations with Washington.

The US has put a freeze on its joint F-35 fighter jet programme with Turkey in protest.&nbsp;

Last week, US acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he was confident Turkey would drop the plan and buy the US Patriot system instead.&nbsp;

Erdogan has said the S-400s are needed to protect Turkey's borders. He said he turned to Russia because no acceptable US missile deal was available at the time. &nbsp;

The first S-400 delivery is expected in July.

The pair also discussed Syria, where they have backed opposite sides in the eight-year conflict but have been working closely to end the fighting.&nbsp;

Putin said they were unable to reach an agreement to set up a monitoring centre in Syria's jihadist-held Idlib region, agreed at a summit in Sochi in February.&nbsp;

"We have so far not been able to create the monitoring centre," Putin said. "But I am sure that we will do this." &nbsp;

Russia, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and rebel backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to prevent a massive regime offensive on the Idlib region, near the Turkish border.

On Sunday, 13 civilians died in bombing in Idlib.

Along with Iran, Russia and Turkey have positioned themselves as key foreign players in Syria's long-running war.

Erdogan is on his third visit to Russia since the beginning of this year.&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart on Monday discussed a missile deal slammed by the US as well as closer military cooperation during a visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart on Monday discussed a missile deal slammed by the US as well as closer military cooperation during a visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Moscow. The two sides must "strengthen cooperation in the military-technical sphere," Putin told Erdogan as they met in the Kremlin. "This regard first of all the completion of the contract to supply S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Turkey," he said. "There are other promising projects on the agenda related to the supply of modern Russian military products to Turkey," Putin added. NATO member Turkey's missile deal has tested its already soured relations with Washington. The US has put a freeze on its joint F-35 fighter jet programme with Turkey in protest. Last week, US acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he was confident Turkey would drop the plan and buy the US Patriot system instead. Erdogan has said the S-400s are needed to protect Turkey's borders. He said he turned to Russia because no acceptable US missile deal was available at the time. The first S-400 delivery is expected in July. The pair also discussed Syria, where they have backed opposite sides in the eight-year conflict but have been working closely to end the fighting. Putin said they were unable to reach an agreement to set up a monitoring centre in Syria's jihadist-held Idlib region, agreed at a summit in Sochi in February. "We have so far not been able to create the monitoring centre," Putin said. "But I am sure that we will do this." Russia, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and rebel backer Turkey in September inked a buffer zone deal to prevent a massive regime offensive on the Idlib region, near the Turkish border. On Sunday, 13 civilians died in bombing in Idlib. Along with Iran, Russia and Turkey have positioned themselves as key foreign players in Syria's long-running war. Erdogan is on his third visit to Russia since the beginning of this year.

Putin and Erdogan discuss S-400 missile deal

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday his country would forge ahead with the purchase of an air-defense system from Russia despite U.S. warnings that using the equipment would jeopardize Ankara’s role within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Turkey vows to buy Russian Missiles despite US warnings

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-russia-missile-deal-to-go-ahead-after-us-suspension-208201">Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan</a>'s ruling AKP will accept the results of local election recounts in Ankara and Istanbul no matter which party is declared the winner, a party spokesman said on Saturday.

The AKP won most votes nationwide in last Sunday's election, but results showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in Istanbul in what would be one of their worst setbacks in a decade and a half in power.

Electoral authorities are conducting a recount in scores of districts in Ankara and in Istanbul where tallies showed the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu with a very slim lead over the AKP.

"At the end of the day, we will accept the final result regardless of whether it is to our advantage or disadvantage," AKP spokesman Omer Celik told a briefing for the foreign press in Istanbul.

Voters may have punished the AKP at the ballot box, with Turkey's economy in recession after a currency crisis last year that hit Turkish households hard when the lira lost 30 per cent of its value.

Losing Istanbul would be a blow to Erdogan, who built his political career as mayor of the city before becoming prime minister and later president.

In Istanbul, CHP candidate Imamoglu and the AKP's Binali Yildirim both declared victory when preliminary results showed them in a dead heat.

The AKP later appealed saying it had found irregularities in tens of thousands of votes.

Imamoglu's party said on Saturday he was still ahead by close to 18,000 votes with half of the recount completed. He has said he expects the recount to be finished by the end of the weekend, but the AKP could still appeal again to the Supreme Electoral Council.

Celik said the AKP would still control districts and municipal councils in both of the key cities even if they lost the mayor's offices. But he said the party would not deliberately block opposition mayor's agendas.

Erdogan, in power for 16 years, fought hard before the vote, holding rallies across Turkey where he described the election of mayors and district councils as a battle for the nation's survival.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP will accept the results of local election recounts in Ankara and Istanbul no matter which party is declared the winner, a party spokesman said on Saturday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP will accept the results of local election recounts in Ankara and Istanbul no matter which party is declared the winner, a party spokesman said on Saturday. The AKP won most votes nationwide in last Sunday's election, but results showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in Istanbul in what would be one of their worst setbacks in a decade and a half in power. Electoral authorities are conducting a recount in scores of districts in Ankara and in Istanbul where tallies showed the opposition CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu with a very slim lead over the AKP. "At the end of the day, we will accept the final result regardless of whether it is to our advantage or disadvantage," AKP spokesman Omer Celik told a briefing for the foreign press in Istanbul. Voters may have punished the AKP at the ballot box, with Turkey's economy in recession after a currency crisis last year that hit Turkish households hard when the lira lost 30 per cent of its value. Losing Istanbul would be a blow to Erdogan, who built his political career as mayor of the city before becoming prime minister and later president. In Istanbul, CHP candidate Imamoglu and the AKP's Binali Yildirim both declared victory when preliminary results showed them in a dead heat. The AKP later appealed saying it had found irregularities in tens of thousands of votes. Imamoglu's party said on Saturday he was still ahead by close to 18,000 votes with half of the recount completed. He has said he expects the recount to be finished by the end of the weekend, but the AKP could still appeal again to the Supreme Electoral Council. Celik said the AKP would still control districts and municipal councils in both of the key cities even if they lost the mayor's offices. But he said the party would not deliberately block opposition mayor's agendas. Erdogan, in power for 16 years, fought hard before the vote, holding rallies across Turkey where he described the election of mayors and district councils as a battle for the nation's survival.

Turkey: Erdogan's ruling AKP ready to accept election recount results

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday vowed to go ahead with a deal to purchase Russian missiles despite Washington's suspension of Turkey's participation in a US jet programme because of security concerns over Russian deal.

Turkey's agreement to buy the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-says-s-400-missile-purchase-from-russia-a-done-deal-cannot-be-cancelled-foreign-minister-208029">Russian S-400 system</a> has further tested its relations with Washington, stoking US concern about Erdogan's burgeoning relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

United States officials have repeatedly warned of the risks the Russian system would pose to Western defences and the lack of interoperability with NATO hardware.

Relations between NATO allies US and Turkey were already on shaky ground over issues including US support to a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed by Ankara as terrorists.

The US said on Monday it was halting all deliveries and joint work with Turkey on the F-35 fighter jet programme if Ankara insisted on the deal.

"The S-400 process is complete," Erdogan said on Friday, adding that the first delivery of the system would be in July.

Erdogan criticised "really wrong" statements coming from the US over the S-400 purchase and suggested NATO allies should not sanction each other.

Turkey could be sanctioned by Washington under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which rules that any entity doing business with Russia's state and private defence and intelligence sectors risks sanctions.

The S-400 is an anti-missile and anti-aircraft weapon system, similar to the US Patriot.

Washington has suggested Turkey could opt for Patriot missiles instead.

But Erdogan said although Ankara was keen to buy the US-produced missiles, "America was unfortunately not giving Patriots to us on the same terms" as Russia.

He has previously said Turkey wanted joint production, credit and early delivery in any Patriot deal, but said Washington did not look favourably on the first two terms.

Despite the US suspension, Erdogan said three F-35 jets had been delivered, though they remain in the US. "The fourth will be delivered in a few weeks."

He said that Turkish pilots were still training in the US.

Erdogan will be in Russia on Monday for talks with Russian counterpart Putin, his third visit to the country this year.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday vowed to go ahead with a deal to purchase Russian missiles despite Washington's suspension of Turkey's participation in a US jet programme because of security concerns over Russian deal.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday vowed to go ahead with a deal to purchase Russian missiles despite Washington's suspension of Turkey's participation in a US jet programme because of security concerns over Russian deal. Turkey's agreement to buy the Russian S-400 system has further tested its relations with Washington, stoking US concern about Erdogan's burgeoning relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. United States officials have repeatedly warned of the risks the Russian system would pose to Western defences and the lack of interoperability with NATO hardware. Relations between NATO allies US and Turkey were already on shaky ground over issues including US support to a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed by Ankara as terrorists. The US said on Monday it was halting all deliveries and joint work with Turkey on the F-35 fighter jet programme if Ankara insisted on the deal. "The S-400 process is complete," Erdogan said on Friday, adding that the first delivery of the system would be in July. Erdogan criticised "really wrong" statements coming from the US over the S-400 purchase and suggested NATO allies should not sanction each other. Turkey could be sanctioned by Washington under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which rules that any entity doing business with Russia's state and private defence and intelligence sectors risks sanctions. The S-400 is an anti-missile and anti-aircraft weapon system, similar to the US Patriot. Washington has suggested Turkey could opt for Patriot missiles instead. But Erdogan said although Ankara was keen to buy the US-produced missiles, "America was unfortunately not giving Patriots to us on the same terms" as Russia. He has previously said Turkey wanted joint production, credit and early delivery in any Patriot deal, but said Washington did not look favourably on the first two terms. Despite the US suspension, Erdogan said three F-35 jets had been delivered, though they remain in the US. "The fourth will be delivered in a few weeks." He said that Turkish pilots were still training in the US. Erdogan will be in Russia on Monday for talks with Russian counterpart Putin, his third visit to the country this year.

Erdogan says Russia missile deal to go ahead after US suspension