Christians Flee Turkish Bombardments In Iraq
Iraqi Christians want prayers for Christian and Kurdish families suffering from Turkish bombardments and incursions in Northern Iraq, aid workers say.
Turkey
Turkey Court: ‘Istanbul’s Main Former Cathedral Turned Into Mosque’
Turkey’s top administrative court decided Friday that the Byzantine Empire’s main cathedral, which eventually became a museum, can be converted back into a mosque. Christian leaders condemned Friday’s ruling.
Turkey Expels Foreign Christians In Crackdown
Turkey is expelling foreign Christians as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to increase support from conservative Islamic leaders, rights investigators told Worthy News.
Iranian and Syrian regimes sign military agreement
Syria’s dictator Bashar Assad has signed a military cooperation agreement with Iran’s Islamic extremist regime, Algemeiner reports. The deal was concluded Wednesday, reportedly as part of an effort to increase Syria’s air defenses against “pressures by America.”
Russia says Turkey tested its S-400s on US F-16 jets
Turkey, a member of NATO, tested the Russian-made S-400 air defense system on US-made F-16 jets during a drill in November 2019, Russia’s state media TASS has reported. The use of the S-400 against the F-16s was already reported last year, but the new details from Russian media appear to cement the claim and infer that something more was going on in those tests.
Yazidis and Christians face existential threat in northeast Syria following Turkish intervention and US pull back of troops
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) heard last week that President Donald Trump’s partial withdrawal of American troops from northeast Syria in 2019 created a vacuum in which Turkey and Turkish-backed militia have been able to threaten local vulnerable civilian populations including Christians and Yazidis. Condemning Turkey’s latest airstrikes and ground operations in the region, the USCIRF called for the US government to “utilize all diplomatic and economic leverage to protect vulnerable religious minorities in northern Iraq — as well as neighboring northeastern Syria — from Turkey’s indiscriminate military operations,” the Christian Post reported.
Libyan Government says Egypt Made Declaration of War
Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) said Sunday that Egypt has made a “declaration of war,” against it, the Times of Israel reported.
Turkey Eyes Libyan Bases for Lasting Military Foothold, Source Says
Turkey and Libya’s internationally recognized government are discussing possible Turkish use of two military bases in the North African country, a Turkish source said on June 15, with a view to a lasting Turkish presence in the south Mediterranean.
Russia and Turkey cancel talks on Libya and Syria
Russia and Turkey have postponed scheduled talks about their respective and opposing roles in conflicts in Libya and Syria, the Washington Times reported.
Turkey Will Buy Additional Batch of S-400 Missiles from Russia
Turkey has announced it will buy a second batch of the S-400 air defense missiles system made by Russia, UPI reported Wednesday. In an interview on Turkish TV this week, head of Turkey’s Defense Industries Administration Ismail Demir said the basic purchase agreement for a second batch was in place, while technical transportation issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were being resolved.
Syria sees spike in Islamic State attacks, say religious liberty experts
A region of northeastern Syria that U.S. forces ceded to Turkey has seen a spike in Islamic State-backed attacks, researchers said Wednesday during a roundtable discussion on religious liberty.
Libya’s Turkey-backed Tripoli forces take back another town
Forces allied with the U.N.-supported government in Libya’s capital said Friday they have retaken another key western town from rivals behind a year-long offensive on Tripoli. The development is yet another illustration of how Turkey’s support for the Tripoli government has turned the tide of war in the oil-rich country.
Turkey, Russia Cooperate on Virus Vaccine
Turkey and Russia have agreed to cooperate in the development of a coronavirus vaccine and plan to carry out joint clinical trials, the Turkish health minister said Wednesday.
Libya conflict: Russia and Turkey risk Syria repeat
Libya looks to be at the end of one bleak chapter, but there is no guarantee that the next will be any better for a country that has been torn to pieces by civil war and foreign intervention since Col Muammar Gaddafi met his grisly death in 2011.
Jerusalem Is ‘Red Line’ for Muslims, Turkey’s Erdogan Declares in Eid Message Attacking Israel
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has attacked the Israeli government’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank and declared that the issue of Jerusalem was a “red line” for Muslims around the world.
Turkey’s Erdogan calls to ‘revitalize’ relationship with EU amid coronavirus pandemic
Turkey has revived its bid for membership in the European Union (EU), calling to ‘revitalize’ their relationship and citing the coronavirus pandemic as a clear demonstration of the need for unity.
Turkey says deployment of Russian S-400 missiles delayed, but will happen
Turkey’s planned deployment of Russian S-400 missile defenses has been delayed by the coronavirus outbreak but will ultimately go ahead, President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman said on Thursday, despite Washington’s warnings that Ankara risks U.S. sanctions.
Russia, Turkey, and Iran To Meet On Syria
The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran will hold a video conference on April 22 to discuss Syria and a de-escalation deal in the last rebel-held enclave in Idlib.
Regional conflict in Middle East looks likely again as Trump and Iran trade threats, Syria reports Israeli airstrikes
President Trump threatened Iran with severe retaliation Wednesday after the U.S. military claimed Iranian ships had made ‘dangerous and threatening approaches’ toward American navy vessels in the Persian Gulf last week.
Hungary Defends “Orwellian Law” Amid Criticism
Hungary has condemned global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for saying that an ‘Orwellian law’ has imposed an ‘information police state’ in the country. RSF urged two United Nations rapporteurs to condemn the governments of Hungary and dozens of other nations for ‘violating the right to information’ about the coronavirus pandemic.