Middle Orient

US Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday wrapped up a key visit to Turkey without a breakthrough on military co-operation in the Syrian crisis but with officials confident the talks brought their positions closer. During his three-day trip to Istanbul, Biden held several hours of talks with both Turkish President …

The US-led coalition continued attacks targeting the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) over the period Friday through Monday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday. In Syria over the four days, seven airstrikes near Kobani hit many ISIL fighting positions and staging areas, while other two struck …

Some 230 Peshmerga forces of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have been trained by Turkish soldiers so far in northern Iraq, a senior Turkish Foreign Ministry official said. Turkey has been providing “subsidiary” military training for the Peshmerga forces and the process will continue for as long as necessary, according to …

Two French jets, backed by US-led coalition planes, have targeted ISIL trenches near Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk as operations continue against the terrorist group’s frontlines. Two Dassault-built (AVMD.PA) Rafale fighters hit trenches, used by ISIL militants to capture the northern Iraqi oil city, at around 0330 GMT, French Defense Ministry …

Turkey and Iraq have reinforced their pledge to mend ties during the Turkish prime minister’s visit to the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, agreeing on closer cooperation against Islamist jihadists’ threat and revive economic ties with a greater momentum than before. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visit to the country, a …

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has warned of a new refugee influx Turkey may face if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime or Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants advance on Aleppo. Addressing a joint press meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja on Tuesday, Çavuşoğlu said the …

Syrian Kurds fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the flashpoint town of Kobane made new gains Nov. 18, expelling the jihadists from several central buildings and seizing weapons, a monitor said. The advance came hours after the US-led coalition launched four strikes against ISIL positions …

Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry met in London with US Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in light of the escalating tensions in Jerusalem. The two discussed on Tuesday ways of working to contain the situation and “prevent the region from sliding into a …

Turkey will continue pursuing its active policy to put an end to the conflict [Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] in South Caucasus, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Nov.17. The prime minister made the remarks during his visit to Philippines.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Nov. 16 the Pentagon will accelerate its mission to train Iraqi forces to combat Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants, using troops already in Iraq to start the effort while funding is sought for a broader initiative. Hagel, speaking to …