The sudden unannounced arrival of the top US military officer General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a dusty American base in Syria’s remote northeast on Friday may call to mind a famous quote by Dick Cheney, vice-president in the George W Bush presidency: “The good …
Read More »An Enduring Challenge: ISIS-linked Foreigners in Türkiye
What’s new? Thousands of foreign nationals who joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq have crossed into Türkiye. Some have been deported. Others have stayed, with some still facing trial for terrorism-related charges and others nearing the end of their prison sentences. Their presence creates a humanitarian and security challenge for Türkiye, …
Read More »Iran says it signed ‘aviation cooperation’ memo with UAE
The UAE and Iran have cordial economic and political relations, despite being on opposite sides of some regional rivalries. Iran and the United Arab Emirates agreed on Tuesday to work together more on aviation matters, Iranian state media reported. Iranian Civil Aviation Organization spokesman Jafar Yazarloo said they signed a …
Read More »Iran’s top diplomat to visit Turkey in post-disaster diplomacy
The top Iranian and Turkish diplomats are also expected to discuss the Syrian, Nagorno-Karabakh and bilateral files during their meeting. The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday that Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian would pay a visit to Turkey in solidarity after the twin earthquakes. Amir-Abdollahian, who will travel to Turkey …
Read More »Saudi Arabia says it deposited $5B in Turkish central bank
Saudi Arabia said Monday it deposited $5 billion into the Turkish central bank, likely helping Ankara firm up its long-weakening currency, the lira, after last month’s massive earthquake that struck southeast Turkey and northern Syria. The deposit provides a capstone for just how far relations have improved between the kingdom …
Read More »Trapped in Putin’s Embrace: Erdogan’s Russian Dilemma
The catastrophic earthquake that hit Turkey earlier this month has put mounting pressure on embattled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of key presidential and parliamentary elections due to be held on May 14. It has also served to spotlight Erdogan’s problematically close ties with Moscow. As Erdogan is one …
Read More »Defending submarine cables in the Black Sea: A challenge for NATO and the region
Deep in the world’s oceans and seas lies a network of submarine communication cables connecting continents and regions. This critical infrastructure, owned mostly by international consortia of private telecommunication companies, spans, in total, more than 1.3 million kilometers and handles over 95% of the world’s data. The rise of projects …
Read More »Top Daesh terrorist caught in Istanbul
A joint operation by Turkish police and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in Istanbul led to the capture of M.B., a senior figure from the terrorist group Daesh, authorities announced on Wednesday. M.B., a 36-year-old Tunisian national who used the code name Abu Huzaifah, served as a so-called “qadi” or judge …
Read More »Turkish Drone Kills 3 PKK-affiliated Fighters In Iraq: Kurds
A Turkish drone attack Monday in northern Iraq killed at least three fighters from the minority Yazidi community affiliated with the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Iraqi Kurdish officials said. “A drone from the Turkish army targeted a vehicle” in the region, killing an officer and two combattants from the …
Read More »Turkish intelligence brings top PKK figure from Iraq
Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) caught Ramazan Güneş, a PKK member who was behind 12 acts of terrorism that killed 60 Turkish security personnel in the past, in Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah, media outlets reported Tuesday. The Turkish intelligence agency has stepped up its operations abroad in recent years to stamp out …
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