Homosexuality is legal and LGBTQ people have the right to seek asylum in Turkey since 1951. Pride celebrations under the rule of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have come under attacks from the hardliners. Watch report.

Twitter hashtags condemn pride celebrations in Turkey

WION Dispatch: LGBTQ activists vs hardliners in Turkey, Pride celebrations expose fault lines

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

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

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

Turkey Prime Minister travels to Iraq to mend relations

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

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

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

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