TURKEY

ANKARA – HDP opposition party spokeswoman in Turkish parliament Günay Kubilay accused the ultra-nationalist Turkish AKP-MHP government led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of perpetrating a political massacre on the party, noting that 16,490 HDP party members have been arrested by the country’s security forces. The detainees include party leaders,…

Originally published on 8 December 2020 by Providence Magazine. You can find the original Here. By Toufic Baaklini President of In Defense of Christians Despite the fact that Middle Eastern Christians have suffered multiple genocides, pogroms, and episodes of persecution over the past century, 2020 presented these “first Christians” with…

NOHADRA (DOHUK), Iraq – After gone missing for 10 days, the fate of three citizens from Derluk district of Nohadra (Dohuk) Province in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI) became known; they died from Turkish artillery shelling, Rudaw reports. The three victims are between 55 and 65 years-old and residents…

What is the next destination for the Syrian mercenaries on Turkeys payroll? From Syria to Libya, Yemen, and Azerbaijan to…? According to Sky News Arabia, Turkish intelligence and military services are now preparing to send groups of Syrian mercenaries to Somalia. The transfer of mercenaries to Somalia would have been…

BRUSSELS – During their Summit in Brussels, EU leaders agreed to impose sanctions against Turkey for its aggressive expansionist activities in the eastern Mediterranean. According to the final statement, the new punitive measures include sanctions on persons, entities, and companies responsible or directly linked to the oil- and gas drilling…

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump signed a package of punitive measures against Turkey for purchasing Russian air defense system S400. Reuters reported that the sanctions are likely targeting Turkish defense officials, including the head of the Defense Industries Agency. Bloomberg quoted two sources stating that U.S. President Donald Trump…

BRUSSELS — In a press conference held on Friday, European Council President Charles Michel announced that the European Union is ready to impose sanctions on Turkey due to its continuing unilateral actions and hostile rhetoric. During the press conference, Michel indicated that Ankara has not taken actions to reduce its…

ISTANBUL / ANKARA – The detained leader of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş has called for Turkish opposition parties to join forces against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s authoritarian regime in order to stop repression, removal, and killings of politicians. Demirtaş claims that the failed policies of Turkish…

Originally published in French by Le Figaro on 19 November 2020. The original can be found here By Joseph Yacoub honorary professor of political science at the Catholic University of Lyon. Specialist in minorities in the world and Eastern Christians. Turkey’s political and military engagement with Azerbaijan against the Armenians…

ANKARA – After yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that curfews would be imposed for entire weekends and partially on weekdays. The curfew will be between 21.00 and 05.00 on weekdays, and from 21.00 on Friday evenings to 05.00 on Monday morning. The new measures will be…