July 2016 Military Coup in Turkey

[sToRmR1dR]

Security forces open fire near Iranian Embassy in Ankara

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/10/24/490409/turkey-iran-ankara-embassy

A dozen shots have reportedly been fired outside the Iranian Embassy in Turkey capital, Ankara.

According to informed sources, the shots heard may have been fired by security forces at a checkpoint near the embassy building to warn a suspicious vehicle, IRIB reported early on Monday.

Earlier, the US issued a stern warning over the possibility of terror attacks or attempted kidnapping of foreign nationals in Istanbul.

Just a few weeks ago, Turkey extended a nationwide state of emergency -- introduced in the wake of the abortive coup in July -- for another three months.

Turkey imposed the state of emergency after it declared the end of a coup attempt by a group of military officers, which resulted in over 270 deaths.

Russian inspectors to hold observation flight over Turkey

http://tass.com/politics/908247?_ga=1.163295100.1783418038.1477117316

An observation flight with the maximum range of up to 1,900 kilometers will be fulfilled on October 24-28 with the use of the Eskisehir air base

A Russian group of inspectors plans to perform an observation flight on board an An-30B aircraft above Turkish territory, which was canceled by Ankara in February, on October 24-28 as part of implementation of the Open Skies Treaty, a senior Russian Defense Ministry official said.

"An observation flight with the maximum range of up to 1,900 kilometers will be fulfilled on October 24-28 with the use of the Eskisehir air base," acting chief of the ministry’s National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergey Zabello said.

"The Russian aircraft will conduct the flight in line with the route coordinated with the observed side, and Turkish specialists on board will control the procedure of using surveillance equipment and observation of provisions envisioned by the Treaty," Zabello said.

The flight will be conducted instead of the planned flight in February 2016, when Turkey denied Russian military inspectors flight on its territory agreed for February 1-5.

The country’s Foreign Ministry explained it by the fact that the countries failed to agree on the route of flight. Russia said Ankara had no right to deny the flight.

The Open Skies Treaty was signed in 1992 and has 34 member states. It entered into force in 2002. Surveillance flights are conducted over Russia, the United States, Canada and European countries.

The key tasks of the treaty are to develop transparency, monitor the fulfillment of armament control agreements, and expand capabilities to prevent crises in the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other international organizations.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

BREAKING:

Blast near Chamber of Commerce building in Antalya, Turkey, many ambulances at scene – reports

https://www.rt.com/news/363983-antalya-blast-commerce-chamber/

An explosion has rocked the Turkish resort city of Antalya outside the Chamber of Commerce building, local media reported. The blast ripped through a parking lot.

The explosion occurred at 8:50 local time, according to Hurriyet. Ambulances have been sent to the area, but there are no casualty reports so far.

A reporter from Dogan news agency present at the scene said the blast damaged buildings all over the area, adding that the police are taking “extensive security measures.”

DETAILS TO FOLLOW

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Turkey Continues Support for Terrorists in Syria

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950804001214

According to al-Ahd news website, the Turkish army has sent 20 trucks loaded with ammunition for the terrorist groups in Northern Syria.

The trucks entered Atme two days ago through Bukulmez region which borders Deir Balut village in the Northwestern parts of Aleppo.

Relevant reports said last week that the terrorists of Fatah al-Sham Front had acknowledged that they recently received military training in camps in Turkish territories.

Syrian soldiers and popular in an ambush operation in Sheikh Saeed districts in the Southern part of Aleppo city captured a number of Fatah al-Sham terrorists recently.

The army said that the captured terrorists confessed that they had received advanced military training in a camp in Turkey.

Reports said in June that over 160 members of Fatah al-Sham terrorist group crossed the Turkish borders to join their comrades in Aleppo.

According to the Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation, at least 160 Fatah al-Sham Front militants crossed the border with Turkey in the North of Idlib province in June.

They were heading towards Aleppo to reinforce Takfiri terrorists fighting in the region, the Center added.

Since June, over 4,000 terrorists from various groups, including Fatah Al-Sham, have crossed the Turkish border into Syria, specially to help the militants entrapped in Aleppo.

Turkey threatens to launch ground operation if provoked

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/turkey-threatens-launch-ground-operation-provoked/

The Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, stated on Tuesday afternoon that Ankara will launch a ground operation in Iraq if they perceive a threat to their national security.

The Turkish Foreign Minister's comments come on the 9th day of the Iraqi Army's offensive to expel the Islamic State from Mosul; this assault does not include the Turkish Armed Forces.

The governments in Ankara and Baghdad have been involved in a war of words these past few weeks as a result of the Turkish President's refusal to remove his forces from northern Iraq.

 

[angelburst29]

A new report on Turkish media freedoms found that 107 journalists are currently in jail, while another 2500 journalists are unemployed after the government shut down 155 media organizations.

Over 100 Journalists Jailed by Turkey in Post-Coup Crackdown
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950804001344

The Independent Communication Network (BIA) said that of those 107 journalists, 71 are accused of supporting Fethullah Gulen, whom the Ankara has accused of orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt, and 29 are connected to the Kurdish media, Alaraby reported.

The report criticizes the Turkish government for its strong-hand tactics against journalists, and labels Turkey as the “world’s biggest journalist-prison”.

A total of 155 media outlets have been closed down in the period since July 15, while 775 press cards and 49 passports have been cancelled.

Turkish police detained two co-mayors of the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, known as unofficial Kurdish capital, the mayor's office said Tuesday.

Turkish Police Detain Two Co-Mayors of Diyarbakir - Administration
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201610261046732894-turkey-pkk-diyarbakir/

Both mayors, Gultan Kisanak and Firat Anli, are the members of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP). Turkish authorities accuse DBP of being associated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK, outlawed in Turkey).

Two our co-mayors have been detained tonight," the Diyarbakir's administration said in a statement.

On September 11, Turkey’s Interior Ministry announced it had fired 28 provincial administrators and district governors for having links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen The move was followed by clashes in the region. PKK is outlawed in Turkey as a terrorist organization. A ceasefire between Turkey and Kurdish militants collapsed in July 2015, prompting the Turkish authorities to launch a military operation in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern regions.

Anti-American sentiment has been rapidly growing among the Turkish public. Ankara condemns what it labels as anti-Turkish behavior and is searching for an alternative to the partnership with the US, former Turkish ambassador in Finland, Sweden and Jordan Oktay Aksoy told Sputnik.

Turkey Can't 'Lend Unquestioning Support for US Plans in Middle East'
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201610201046560112-turkey-us-plans/

According to Aksoy, Ankara hoped for the United States to understand its concerns about the growing US military cooperation with the Kurdish forces in Syria.

He noted that the Turkish authorities have repeatedly denounced US plans to cooperate with Kurdish militants in the fight against Daesh. "However, the US ignored Turkey's request, and this is very disappointing. Such intransigence of the Americans shows that the US' and Turkey's positions on the situation in Syria radically differ," Aksoy told Sputnik.

The United States has been providing military assistance to the Kurdish YPG (People's Protection Units) forces, and top Pentagon officials have described the Kurdish forces as capable and successful fighters against Daesh.

Ankara, for its turn, considers the YPG operating in Syria an affiliate of PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), which is outlawed in Turkey. The difference in positions led to tensions in the US-Turkish relationship and forced Turkey to start looking for new partners.

The expert noted that, of course, the United States may have their own interests and certain preferences for cooperation with various players in the region. However, Turkey has interests, too, and they can't be ignored, he stressed.

Turkey's former Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis stated that Ankara's interest in territorial integrity of Syria is closely tied with the Kurdish issue, as Turkey seeks to avoid the scenario where the Turkish Kurds could follow the example of the Syrian Kurds who may one day decide to separate from Damascus.

Ankara as Interested in Syrian Integrity as Damascus - Turkish Ex-FM
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201610251046717971-turkey-syria-yakis-valdai/

Turkey is interested in the territorial integrity of the Syrian state, which means that the goals of Ankara and Damascus regarding the issue coincide, Turkey's former Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis said at a session of Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi.

Ankara's interest in territorial integrity of Syria is closely tied with the Kurdish issue, as Turkey seeks to avoid the scenario where the Turkish Kurds could follow the example of the Syrian Kurds who may one day decide to separate from Damascus, he added.

Kurds are Syria’s largest ethnic minority. The Kurdish population also lives in Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. In March, they declared a federal region in northern Syria. The Syrian government responded by saying that the Kurds’ unilateral decision had no legal power.

 

[angelburst29]

In one moment, the pretend Sultan publically rebuked the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne signed by Ataturk and in particular he denied the terms of the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres which affirmed that the Arab lands of the erstwhile Ottoman Empire would be ceded.

The Fragile Sovereignty of Arab Lands: Turkey Threatens to Conquer Parts of Syria and Iraq…
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-fragile-sovereignty-of-arab-lands-turkey-threatens-to-conquer-parts-of-syria-and-iraq/5553064

The parts of Sèvres relating to Arab territory remain un-amended by the subsequent Treaty of Lausanne. The seeding of these Arab lands was the product of the Arab Revolt which began in the Hejaz in 1916 and ultimately ended in Damascus. Interestingly, one of the final battles of the revolt was in Aleppo, where Arab forces dealt a decisive blow to the Ottoman Empire.

But the story does not end there, where Britain had made promises to the Arabs of independence and freedom, instead they made a secret deal with France in 1916 to divide Arab lands into colonial mandates between the two great western imperial powers. The secret plan was first revealed to the world by the early Soviet press.

It would ultimately not be until after the Second World War that Arab lands would gain full independence. Under largely Kemalist governments, Turkey avoided direct confrontation with the Arabs, but under Erdogan this has changed.

As I have written previously, Erdogan is a Sultan of Many Clothes. He has presented himself as both the friend and enemy of just about every nation and peoples in the world at various times. Prior to the western engineered civil strife in Syria, Erdogan was busily prancing around the Arab world proclaiming himself a new Sultan in all but name.

The political disunity of the Arabs had allowed him to do this. Now, far from asking the Arabs to court him as a former colonial overlord turned pseudo-messiah, he is openly implying that Turkey will ‘take back’ Aleppo and Mosul.

The military realities bear this out. Turkey is in Syria illegally and recently Damascus has said that they consider any Turkish violation of Syrian territory to be an act of war and will respond accordingly. This includes the shooting down of Turkish jets. The Iraqi government issued a similar statement about Turkish presence in northern Iraq.

The blatant Turkish disregard for the sovereignty Arab lands must be dealt with. The only solution is a return to the principles of Arab unity, first politically proffered by General Nasser. Although much has been made of the impossibility of such unity, when one compares the prospects of Arab unity to that of European unity, one can better understand the potential of such unity.

The EU, for all its problems, isn’t going to go away any time soon. This is in spite of the fact that European peoples have little in common other than economic need. Their shared history is written in blood.

Religious wars, ethnic disputes, genocide, territorial disputes, ideological revolutions and language barriers tell the long tale of European interaction. Indeed, the modern European Union was created in part as an attempt to avoid conflict by creating an atmosphere of economic reliance and interdependence. Today it exists for pragmatic reasons rather than because of any actual unity between these peoples.

By contrast, the Arabs have been organically unified in the past. Look at the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates. The Arabs are a single people with a single language. The differences between varieties of Sunni and Shi’a Islam are far less than those between Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Arabs have every possibility to unite and every reason to do so.

Frankly it would be a reunification rather than a unification. But between the Sykes-Picot agreement which created borders to divide the Arabs, western neo-colonial interference into Arab affairs and powerful Wahhabi regimes in the Gulf who seek to enslave fellow Arabs to a western funded cult masquerading as Islam, things have been difficult.

Were there a new United Arab Republic whose borders stretched from Libya to Iraq, no Turkish leader would dream of saying Aleppo or Mosul are anything but Arab lands, to be ruled by Arab leaders. But because the Arabs remain divided, he has shouted it with vigour.

What a sad state of affairs it is that when Russian people living in what is historically Russian territory, vote to re-join Russia and the west go bonkers. Yet when a Turkish leader claims to want to restore Ottoman colonial rule over Arabs, no one says anything.

Erdogan’s words are dangerous and must be taken seriously. He clearly wants more than to just use Syria and Iraq as a place to fight Kurds he may otherwise be forced to fight in Turkey itself. He has designs on the Arab lands, he smells blood and President Assad knows this. Perhaps the only piece of tentative good news from the wider Arab world have been Egyptian military drills with Russia.

Some say that at long last, President Sisi may do the right thing, step away from the Saudis whose filthy feet he had been kissing, and join Russia in an Arabist battle against all the enemies of modern, free, Arab dignity.

From the nightmare that is Wahhabism on one side and Ottoman imperialism on the other, this is the time for the Arabs to resurrect the dream of unity in order not just to fight the enemies within and without, but to better themselves.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Obama, Turkey's Erdogan discuss campaign against Islamic State: White House

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-obama-idUSKCN12Q323?il=0

U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the next steps in the campaign against Islamic State during a telephone call on Wednesday, the White House said.

Obama "welcomed continued dialogue between Turkey and Iraq to determine the appropriate level and form of Turkey's participation in the Counter-ISIL Coalition's efforts in Iraq, and both leaders affirmed their strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq," the White House said in a statement, referring to the jihadist group by an acronym.

Ankara and Washington: It’s a New Deal

https://sputniknews.com/politics/201610271046780450-ankara-washington-relations/

As Ankara is pushing the Washington to hand over Fethullah Gulen, the man accused of orchestrating a failed July 15 coup in Turkey, Radio Sputnik’s Loud & Clear host Brian Becker discusses with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern the new relations between the two long-term allies.

Turkey’s Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ traveled to the United States on Tuesday, for talks with US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, primarily seeking the extradition of cleric Gulen. In McGovern’s view, Ankara should not expect that Washington will forcibly extradite the former ally of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

“[Ankara] wants to have a pretext to dissociate themselves with the United States, [but the US is] not going to be bowing before you on things like Iraq’s Mosul and Syria’s Aleppo, both of which Erdogan seems still to consider parts of his Grand Ottoman Empire he would like to reestablish,” asserted the analyst on Loud & Clear program.

Before the 2003 US and UK invasion of Iraq, former US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz expected Ankara to allow American military divisions be deployed in the north of the country, a move that never happened. Washington, at the time, had been following a decades-long practice of viewing Ankara as subservient to its own interests.

But times have changed, according to the analyst. “The point is simple: the Turks are not going to act in the old way,” McGovern said, referring to discontent within the Erdogan administration regarding the muted US response to the failed July coup, which many have observed may have been staged, as a means to tighten Erdogan’s power base.

“Not only has [the US] maintained a curious silence, but there were press reports saying Erdogan had fled,” McGovern pointed out. “The best thing to do to encourage coup plotters is to say that the president has fled.”

The Russians gave Erdogan a tip off that a coup was likely, at a time when the US did not share information that would have produced the same result, he added. “The NSA would have the information, but they suppressed it.”

“Turkey is a wild card here,” McGovern said, regarding the relations and contradictions between Ankara and Washington, and their different views on the future of Iraq and Syria. He noted that the US has made a number of mistakes in the region, including Defense Secretary Ashton Carter’s scuttling of the most recent ceasefire in Syria.

“I don’t think [the US] knows what is going on [in the Middle East],” McGovern stated, referring to recent remarks by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who branded Syria as the “most complicated issue he’s ever seen in public life.” McGovern offered that at least six separate wars are being carried out simultaneously in the region, with many parties engaging in widespread violence, and most using weapons purchased from, or freely given by, the West.

In Iraq, Turkey has deployed troops near the city of Mosul, a step that has seen fierce opposition from the Shia-dominated government in Baghdad. The US has tried to persuade Baghdad to let the Turks “help them out” against Daesh, to little result.

There is also a row between Ankara and Washington over the treatment of the Kurds by the Erdogan administration. Turkey, a country that is no stranger to the specter of genocide, views the Kurdish population in the country as rebel enemies who seek to establish their own state. The US views Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq and Syria as allies, and welcomes their support in the ongoing coalition to suppress Daesh.

“Turkey is motivated first and foremost by making sure the Kurds never get their country or even a powerful movement,” McGovern stated, referring to the violent repression of Kurdish political opposition factions in Turkey.

Despite recent tensions, the US and Turkey remain allies, rooted deeply in their support and participation in NATO.

“Erdogan is too clever for that,” McGovern suggested, adding that the Turkish leader, by wooing both Washington and Moscow, is protecting his own interests.

 

[angelburst29]

Turkey hopes for the arrest of the Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed for an attempted coup in the country, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Thursday.

Turkey Provides US With Evidence Sufficient for Arrest of Cleric Gulen
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201610271046785036-turkey-us-cleric-gulen/

Ankara provided relevant US authorities with evidence of the guilt of opposition Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed by Ankara to be the mastermind behind a recent failed coup attempt, that should be sufficient enough for his arrest, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Thursday.

“We have submitted sufficient even more than sufficient, evidences to have him [Gulen] detained,” Bozdag said following talks with his US counterpart, Loretta Lynch, in Washington, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency. He added that his visit to the United States is "the first time a Turkish justice minister visits a country for extradition of a criminal residing in that country" and warned that US courts should process the evidence before Gulen might flee the county and apply for asylum in another state.

The Turkish Prosecutor's Office authorized the detention of 73 military pilots suspected of having links with the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen who is believed by Ankara to be the mastermind behind a recent failed coup attempt, local media reported on Thursday.

Turkish Prosecution Orders to Detain 73 Military Pilots Over Alleged Gulen Links
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201610271046784782-turkey-coup-military-coup/

The operation in carried out across the country in 17 provinces of Turkey, according to Anadolu news agency. The media added that 71 out of 73 pilots to be detained had rank of first lieutenant.

According to the Turkish Justice Ministry, a total of 32,000 military officers, high-ranking civil servants, judges and teachers suspected of being Gulen supporters have been arrested in Turkey after the failed coup attempt.

The EU Parliament has voted to demand that Turkey's failed coup cannot be used as an excuse for the Turkish Government to clampdown on peaceful protests or the media. Since the July attempt to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his government has been accused of a controversial purging of the military, police and other state institutions.

EU Attempts to Curb Turkey Coup Clampdown
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201610271046798836-eu-turkeycoup-clampdown/

As the smoke settled across Turkey in July, President Erdogan's fury at almost being shunted from office by the country's military was made clear to all. In the subsequent months, 13,000 police officers have been suspended; 149 senior commanders, including 87 army generals, 30 Air Force generals and 32 admirals, have been dismissed; and 35% of fighter-bomber pilots have been arrested.

Turkey's own Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag recently estimated that more than 26,000 people have been detained in connection with the bloody coup bid, including journalists. For many of them, conditions are dire.

Human rights organization Amnesty International, says it has "credible evidence" that Turkish police are denying detainees food, water and medical treatment, and in some worst cases subjecting them to severe beatings and torture.

On Wednesday (October 26), members of the European Parliament in Brussels insisted that Turkey halt its purges.

German MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament for Human Rights and Democracy, Alexander Lambsdorff, said:

"The rule of law, press freedom and freedom of expression are core values. Therefore, we call on the Turkish authorities to release all journalists detained on the basis of unsubstantiated charges. "The failed military take-over cannot be used as an excuse for the Turkish government to prevent journalists and the media from exercising their right to freedom of expression."

Turkey and the EU are still floundering in a decade-long bid by Turkey to gain European Union membership. Several EU country's have expressed misgivings about Turkey entering the EU, over human rights and economic concerns. Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, has described the faltering negotiations as "economic fiction," labeling Turkey "undemocratic."

In August, just one month after the Turkish coup attempt, Chancellor Kern said: "We know that the democratic standards are clearly not sufficient to justify Turkey's accession. "The economic question is at least just as significant because the Turkish economy is too far from the European average." Wednesday's European Parliamentary scolding of Turkey also included several references to how at odds Turkey's current behavior is with the ideals of the European Union. "The rule of law in Turkey must be upheld and the principles of the European Convention of Human Rights fully respected. Turkey remains an important partner for the EU. In light of its EU accession talks we urge Turkey to respect the principles the country has committed to," German MEP Knut Fleckenstein said.

European Parliament rapporteur on Turkey Kati Piri added:

"We fully acknowledge the legitimate right of the Turkish government to investigate the heinous coup attempt on the 15 July, but at the same time we strongly condemn the massive crackdown on journalists, writers and academics — without any proof that they have been involved in any criminal activity."

President Erdogan has not taken kindly to attempts by international leaders to curb his domestic policies in the past. The growing acrimony between EU members and Turkey puts the current EU-Turkey migrant deal into doubt.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Obama, Turkey's Erdogan discuss campaign against Islamic State: White House

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-obama-idUSKCN12Q323?il=0

U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the next steps in the campaign against Islamic State during a telephone call on Wednesday, the White House said.

Obama "welcomed continued dialogue between Turkey and Iraq to determine the appropriate level and form of Turkey's participation in the Counter-ISIL Coalition's efforts in Iraq, and both leaders affirmed their strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq," the White House said in a statement, referring to the jihadist group by an acronym.

Turkish Army will go to Raqqa after northeast Aleppo: Erdogan

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/turkish-army-will-go-raqqa-northeast-aleppo-erdogan/

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that his armed forces will go to the Al-Raqqa Governorate after they complete operations in northeast Aleppo.

"We are going to liberate Menbeij and Raqqa after our Al-Bab operations," Erdogan stated after his phone call with U.S. President Barack Obama.

The Turkish Army's expansion east of Al-Bab will be deeply concerning for the Kurdish-led "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) that are situated near Menbeij and Tal Abyad (northern Al-Raqqa).

On Thursday morning, the Turkish Army announced that their forces killed 9 members of the People's Protection Units (YPG) in northeastern Aleppo, further escalating the tensions between the Kurdish forces and Turkish-backed rebels.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Must See Documentary on the July 2016 Turkish Coup

http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/10/must-see-documentary-on-july-2016.html

October 28, 2016 -
Katehon -

http://katehon.com/video/turkey-coup-july-2016

In this unique documentary prepared exclusively by Tsargrad and Katehon Analytical Center, top Russian experts, including those present in Turkey during the whirlwind events of July 2016, discuss the geopolitical intrigues and dynamics of the coup attempt against Erdogan.

The documentary breaks down the situation in the Middle East and run up to and unfolding of the coup before turning to discuss the geopolitical consequences of the failed coup attempt for the Middle East and Eurasia.

This breakthrough analytical work, adorned with breathtaking footage, aims to unveil the truth behind the coup d'etat attempt in Turkey and expose the people who stood behind it...

http://<iframe width="560" height="...GY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[angelburst29]

The US Department of State updated its Turkey Travel Warning with an order for the departure of the US Consulate General in Istanbul employees' family members.

US State Department Orders Relatives of Consulate Employees to Leave Turkey
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201610301046881891-turkey-consulate-employees/

The update concerns only the consulate in Istanbul, but the statement maintains that the US citizens in Turkey can be targeted by the terrorist organizations and should especially avoid traveling to the cities or settlements near the Syrian border.

"The US Department of State is updating this Travel Warning to reflect the October 29, 2016, decision to order the departure of family members of employees posted to the US Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey," the statement on the State Department website said.

Saturday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his intention to raise military presence on the border with Iraq.Saturday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed Saturday his intention to raise military presence on the border with Iraq.

Turkey Intends to Increase Military Presence on Border With Iraq
https://sputniknews.com/military/201610291046879274-turkey-iraq-border-military-presence/

According to Erdogan, if Shia militias start conducting terrorist attacks in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, predominantly populated with Iraqi Turkmen, Turkey will be able to respond.

We will build up troops in the Silopi districts [near the borders of Iraq and Syria]," Erdogan told journalists.

However, Erdogan admitted, that he had no confirmation of the militia’s plans to attack the city.

The intense debate in Turkey about transition from the country’s parliamentary democracy to a presidential system is having a negative impact on the national economy, Turkish economist and journalist Erdal Saglam told Sputnik.

Erdogan’s Plan to Grab More Powers Damages Already Plagued Turkish Economy
https://sputniknews.com/business/201610291046874500-erdogan-turkish-economy/

The debate around the possible reform has created an extra source of tension and instability in the economy. Recently, Turkey revived calls for a constitutional referendum to expand the powers of the Turkish president.

In mid-October, Turkish Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) chair Binali Yildirim said that a proposal to replace Turkey's parliamentary democracy with a presidential system is expected among a set of constitutional reforms the ruling party is planning.The calls have sparked public outrage and faced protests from Turkish opposition parties. However, despite foreign and domestic concerns, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to hold a referendum to accumulate more power in his hands.

Erdogan happens to have in the same very hands the judicial power, parliament and government. He controls the prime minister and can oust him, Turkish public official, publicist and writer Baskın Oran told Sputnik Turkiye. "The issue has added to the existing debates over Turkey’s role in combat actions in Syria and Iraq amid an ongoing economic downturn," Saglam said in an interview with Sputnik Turkiye.

The reason behind the slowdown in growth is that Turkey still lacks an "autonomous and capable production structure."

"The industrial production in Turkey is maintained from the outside with money inflows. But we see that the economy is slowing down due to a drop in capital inflows to Turkey. The reasons are global economic trends as well as Turkish domestic political and economic problems," the economist pointed out.

Earlier this year, the Turkish government predicted a five percent growth, but then the outlook was adjusted to three percent. This has had a direct impact on people and their consumption.

"This trend is more visible in certain sectors, and in some it is less visible. But overall it is having a negative impact on the economy. Many major companies have been shutting down. We need effective management and clear vision of the problem to fix the situation. But the problem is being ignored," Saglam concluded.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Turkey sacks 10,000 more civil servants, shuts more media in post-coup crackdown

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-dismissals-idUSKBN12U04L?il=0

Turkish authorities have dismissed more than 10,000 civil servants over their suspected links with U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for orchestrating the failed coup in July.

Thousands of academics, teachers and health workers were among those removed through a new emergency rule decree published on the Official Gazette late on Saturday while 15 media outlets, almost all of which reported from the largely Kurdish southeast, were shut down.

Through the decrees, elections to choose a rector at the universities have also been abolished. President Tayyip Erdogan will directly appoint the rectors from the candidates nominated by the High Educational Board (YOK).

Turkey has formally arrested more than 37,000 people and has already sacked or suspended 100,000 civil servants, judges, prosecutors, police and others in an unprecedented crackdown the government says is necessary to root out all supporters of Gulen from the state apparatus and key positions.

A state of emergency imposed right after the bloody failed coup in July has been extended for another three months until January after Erdogan said the authorities needed more time to eradicate the threat posed by Gulen's network as well as Kurdish militants who have waged a 32-year insurgency.

The total number of media outlets shut down since the start of the state of emergency has now exceeded 160.

The extent of the crackdown has worried rights groups and some Western allies, who fear Erdogan is using it to curtail dissent. The government says the actions are justified by the threat to the state on July 15, when more than 240 people died.

Ankara wants the United States to detain and extradite Gulen so that he can be prosecuted in Turkey on a charge that he masterminded the attempt to overthrow the government. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, denies any involvement.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Turkey to buy 24 more Lockheed F-35 aircraft, defense minister says

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-lockheed-fighter-turkey-idUSKBN12W4A8

Turkey has given its defense ministry the mandate to buy a further 24 Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft, Defence Minister Fikri Isik said in an interview with broadcaster A Haber on Tuesday.

The Undersecretariat for Defence Industries said last week that Turkey had decided to order a second batch of the aircraft. Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, had told Reuters that would comprise 24 jets.

Turkey expects to take delivery of the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-35A jets in 2018.

 

[angelburst29]

Adil Oksuz and Kemal Batmaz, who are suspected of plotting the coup attempt in Turkey, visited the United States on July 11-13, according to local media.

Alleged Plotters of Failed Turkish Coup Visited US Ahead of Mutiny to Meet Gulen
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201611021046993710-turkey-coup-us/

Suspected masterminds behind a July coup attempt in Turkey visited the United States shortly before the thwarted coup to meet dissident Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by Ankara of orchestrating the mutiny, Turkish media reported Wednesday.

Adil Oksuz and Kemal Batmaz, who are suspected of plotting the July mutiny, visited the United States on July 11-13, according to the Turkish Daily Sabah newspaper.

On July 15, a military coup attempt took place in Turkey. It was suppressed the following day. Over 240 people were killed during the coup attempt and an estimated 2,000 were wounded.

Ankara has accused Gulen, who has been living in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his followers of playing a key role in the coup. Gulen himself has denounced the rebellion and declared his innocence.

Turkish people will never forget Russia's support during the coup attempt in July, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

'Turkish People Will Never Forget' Russia's Support During Coup Attempt
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611021046995460-turkey-russia-coup-cavusoglu/

Turkey is thankful for Russia's offer to assist in sharing intelligence data during the failed July 15 coup, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday.

"First of all, I want to express my gratitude to Russia and [President Vladimir] Putin and the Russian people. Russia has convincingly demonstrated who our true friend is in the difficult days," Cavusoglu told Rossiya-24.

"Mr. Putin gave us full support and assistance, including with regard to intelligence sharing. That is why we are grateful to the Russian leadership and the people. The Turkish people will never forget this," he reiterated.

The Turkish prime minister explained that the death penalty cannot be applied to coup attempt participants because the law, which abolished it, is not retroactive: in the event of reintroduction the capital punishment will affect only crimes committed thereafter.

Ankara: Turkey's Death Penalty Cannot Be Applied to Coup Attempt Suspects
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201611011046951196-turkey-death-penalty-coup/

The death penalty cannot be used in relation to last summer's coup attempt in Turkey because the new law is not retroactive, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Tuesday.

"This issue appeared on the agenda after the July 15 coup attempt. The people do not want the criminals to go unpunished, and we will not close our eyes to it. However, it should be known that the law is not retroactive," Yildirim said at a ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party parliamentary group meeting in Ankara. The death penalty was banned in Turkey in 2004 as part of Turkey's attempt to be closer to the European Union. However, after a July attempted coup in Turkey, voices requesting the reinstatement of the death penalty have been on the rise.

The proposal to reinstate the death penalty is expected to be discussed in the Turkish parliament in the near future.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

One Dead, 30 Injured in Explosion Near Police HQ in Turkey's Diyarbakir

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201611041047061082-ankara-explosion-diyarbakir/

At least 30 people injured and one dead amid powerful explsoion in Turkey, Diyarbakir, local media reported Friday.

A powerful explosion that hit police headquarters in Turkish city of Diyarbakir in the south-east of the country left at least thirty people injured and one dead, local media reported Friday.

The explosion occurred in the early hours of morning near the building of Counter-terror and Riot Police Branch, NTV channel reported, citing sources in police. The police have cordoned the area, with a number of ambulances dispatched to the scene. According to the preliminary information, the explosion was carried out with a bomb-laden car.

Ambulances have been dispatched to the scene and police sealed off the area, the NTV broadcaster reported.

The similar attacks were conducted earlier by the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) militants.

Tensions between Ankara and the PKK escalated in July 2015 when a ceasefire between the sides collapsed over a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by the members of the group, which is outlawed in Turkey as a terrorist organization.

 

[angelburst29]

Access to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as the WhatsApp messenger, was blocked throughout Turkey early on Friday, according to the TurkeyBlocks monitoring network.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp Reportedly Shut Down in Turkey
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201611041047065940-social-media-turkey/

The TurkeyBlocks added that access to Skype and Instagram has also been obstructed.

"WhatsApp messaging service block in #Turkey confirmed, joining Twitter, Facebook and YouTube shutdowns," the network said on Twitter.

Leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Murat Karayilan on Friday promised to respond to recent detention of politicians from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) by Turkish authorities.

PKK Leader Promises to Respond to Detention of Pro-Kurdish Politicians in Turkey
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201611041047085021-pkk-response-arrests/

Over the past 24 hours, co-chairs of the HDP — Figen Yuksekdag and Selahattin Demirtas — as well as over a dozen parliament members have been detained in raids that were conducted in a number of Turkish cities.

"We can give the necessary response on all fronts, and we will," Karayilan said, commenting on the recent detentions, as quoted by the Turkish Minute newspaper.

He added that this "attack" against the Kurdish people conducted by the ruling Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) would deepen the tensions between Ankara and the PKK.