Turkey

ISTANBUL, Aug 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Moscow on Tuesday (Aug 27) for a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the presidency said in a statement, days after a Turkish convoy was hit by an air strike in Syria.

The surprise visit comes as the forces of President Bashar al-Assad made advances into the last rebel stronghold of Idlib in Syria’s northwest and upped the stakes with Turkey in its months-long offensive backed by Russia.

ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A recent Russian-backed operation by the Syrian government forces in Idlib of Syria is directly relevant to the start of talks between the United States and Turkey to set up a safe zone in northeastern Syria, experts argued.

On Monday, a Turkish military convoy was attacked on its way to an observation point in Idlib, where Turkish Defense Ministry claimed that three civilians were killed.

19 August 2019; AFP: The Turkish government removed three mayors from office on Monday over alleged links to Kurdish militants as Ankara deepened its crackdown on the opposition.

The mayors of Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van provinces in eastern Turkey -- all members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) elected in March -- were suspended over alleged ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

ANKARA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A total of five members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in an airstrike conducted by Turkish air forces in northern Iraq, Turkey's Ministry of Defense said on Monday.

The airstrike was carried out in Qandil region of Iraq, where the PKK's headquarters are based, in coordination with the ongoing Operation Claw, the ministry said on its Twitter account.

19 Aug 2019; AA: Turkish Armed Forces destroyed PKK terror targets in northwestern Syria, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Monday.

The offensive came in response to the attacks and harassment fire of the PKK/YPG on Turkish army elements on the area of the Operation Euphrates Shield, the ministry said on Twitter.

17 Aug 2019; AA: Turkey on Saturday called on the United Nations to play a "more" active role in resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute within the framework of the UN resolutions. 

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry welcomed the consultations held by the UN Security Council on Friday on the recent developments in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.

ANKARA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- As the Turkish-U.S. Joint Operations Center for a safe zone in northern Syria is expected to start operation soon, Turkey's ambitious plan to return the large number of Syrian refugees in its territories will also be put in motion.

On Friday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the Joint Operations Center will fully function next week in Turkey's southeastern province of Sanliurfa near the Syrian border.

16 Aug 2019; MEMO: The Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) distributed more than 453,000 portions of sacrificial meat to millions of needy families globally during Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday, according to an official, Anadolu reports.

According to the Diyanet News website, the foundation’s Director-General, Mehmet Savas Polat, said the meat was distributed as part of this year’s Eid operation.

10 Aug 2019; AA: Turkey’s perspective remains the same on the Cyprus issue as it was 45 years ago, Turkish National Defense Minister said on Saturday.

Hulusi Akar arrived in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to inspect the troops and to hold a series of talks with TRNC officials accompanied by Turkey's Chief of General Staff and chiefs of the army, navy and air force.

10 Aug 2019; MEMO: The Syria peace corridor agreed by Ankara and Washington is a security issue of crucial importance for Turkey, said Turkish foreign minister on Friday, reports Anadolu Agency.

Mevlut Cavusoglu’s remarks came at a lunch gathering with businessmen, members of some NGOs and students in northern Samsun province, where he attended the last day of 11th Ambassadors’ Meeting.