MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — More than 300 people are dead after the truck bombing in Somalia’s capital and scores of others remain missing, authorities said Monday, as the fragile Horn of Africa nation reeled from one of the world’s worst attacks in years. As funerals continued, the government said the death toll is expected to … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — Turkish armored vehicles have rolled into northwestern Syria to impose a “de-escalation zone” in a province dominated by al-Qaida-linked militants, an incursion that the Turkish leader said was meant to secure his country’s border. The Turkish military said it began an operation late Thursday to set up “observation points” in Idlib, without … Continue reading
ISTANBUL (AP) — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 shook western Turkey and the Greek island of Lesbos Monday, scaring residents and damaging buildings. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management said that the earthquake’s epicenter was in the Aegean Sea at the very shallow depth of seven kilometers (some four miles) and hit at … Continue reading
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas has named a shadowy militant commander as its new leader in the Gaza Strip, an official media outlet confirmed on Monday, placing one of the Islamic militant group’s most hard-line figures in charge of its core power base. The appointment of Yehiya Sinwar, who was freed by Israel … Continue reading
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — U.N. Security Council member states must take part in a future summit aiming to remove a key stumbling block to a deal reunifying ethnically divided Cyprus, the island’s government spokesman said Monday. Nicos Christodoulides told The Associated Press that Security Council members have expressed their readiness to “actively and effectively take … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Two earthquakes with preliminary magnitudes of 5.3 jolted Turkey’s northern Aegean Sea coast on Monday Feb. 6, 2017, damaging dozens of homes in 11 villages and injuring at least five people, officials said. The first quake, which was centered beneath the Aegean off the coast of the town of Ayvacik in … Continue reading
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) — Their seats remained empty for a few tense minutes after the Russia-Turkey-sponsored talks were officially inaugurated. Then, the Syrian rebel delegation finally walked into the room, marking what was supposed to be an ice-breaking first encounter. But cold glances and sharp exchanges marred the first face-to-face meeting between the Syrian government … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the fighting in Syria (all times local): 5:30 p.m. The Russian military says it has sent a team of sappers to clear the eastern part of Aleppo from mines. Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi of the military’s General Staff said Wednesday the unit has 200 soldiers and 47 vehicles. He … Continue reading
MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian military said Friday its officers have found evidence of chemical weapons use by Syrian militants in the northern area of Aleppo where government forces are trying to regain control of areas they recently lost to insurgents. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that ministry experts have found … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) â Turkish authorities on Friday, Oct. 4th, detained 12 pro-Kurdish members of Parliament for questioning in terror-related probes, drawing expressions of concern from Europe and the U.S., while a car bomb attack in the largest Kurdish city, reportedly claimed by Kurdish militants, killed nine people. Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, the co-chairs … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on an explosion and detentions in Kurdish areas of Turkey (all times local): 6:25 p.m. All three Scandinavian foreign ministers have summoned the Turkish ambassadors in Norway, Sweden and Denmark to explain the arrests of pro-Kurdish politicians. Borge Brende, foreign minister of Norway, which is outside the European Union, … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian government forces and their allies on Monday captured strategic high ground in embattled Aleppo as Russia — a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad — said it was not planning more “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting in the city’s eastern, rebel-held districts. The fighting in Aleppo came as airstrikes hit … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) â The Latest on Syria (all times local): 5:58 p.m. The Russian military says Russian and Syrian warplanes are staying away from Aleppo, a day before a temporary pause in the military push declared by Moscow. Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said the “humanitarian pause” in Aleppo will last from 8 a.m. to 7 … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian residents in opposition-held eastern part of the city of Aleppo woke up to a fresh wave of airstrikes on Friday amid intense clashes between government forces and rebels — part of a devastating military campaign by Syria and Russia that the opposition says has killed dozens of people in the past … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the developments in the Syrian civil war (all times local): 6:05 p.m. Russia says that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Switzerland on Saturday to discuss efforts to find a peace deal in Syria. The encounter will be the first face-to-face contact … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on developments in Syria (all times local): 5 p.m. The IS-linked Aamaq news agency reports that the extremist group has claimed responsibility for suicide attacks in the central Syrian city of Hama that killed two people and wounded 12. The attack was carried out by two suicide bombers wearing explosives-laden … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Fighting in northern Syria between Turkey-backed Syrian rebels and Islamic State militants killed at least 15 rebels as the opposition tried to push toward a town of symbolic importance for the extremists, an activist group and Turkish officials said Monday. In central Syria, meanwhile, two suicide bombers struck in the city … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the developments in Syria, where a Russia-U.S.-brokered cease-fire, now in its seventh day, is hanging in the balance after numerous violations (all times local): 6:30 p.m. The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has delivered humanitarian aid to the besieged town of Talbiseh in Syria’s central Homs … Continue reading
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish authorities have accused Kurdish militants of detonating a car bomb that wounded 48 people Monday in the eastern city of Van. The state-run Anadolu news agency quoted a statement by the governor’s office alleging that members affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party were responsible for Monday’s blast at a police … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s foreign minister has suggested that a landmark deal to stop migrants reaching the European Union can be salvaged despite disagreement on conditions for relaxing visa restrictions for Turkish citizens traveling to the bloc. Easing concern across Europe, Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters during a joint news conference with top EU officials … Continue reading
ISTANBUL (AP) — Two top European Union officials urged Turkey on Thursday to amend its tough anti-terrorism laws so the EU can lift its visa restrictions — a key incentive in a deal to stop migrants crossing the Aegean Sea. Turkey’s prime minister said that isn’t an option. European Parliament President Martin Schulz and EU … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s government secured a deal to restore its authority over another rebellious Damascus suburb on Thursday while Syrian rebels captured new ground in a lightning advance on the central city of Hama and suspected government airstrikes killed 25 civilians in the surrounding province. The Syrian capital’s western suburb of Moadamiyeh, which a … Continue reading
BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local): 6:15 p.m. Turkey’s foreign minister has spoken with his Russian counterpart about Ankara’s ongoing operations against the Islamic State group in Syria. Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu called Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday to update him on the progress of ‘Euphrates Shield,’ Turkey’s incursion into … Continue reading
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey on Wednesday vowed to keep attacking a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia inside Syria, saying it will never negotiate with what it considers to be a “terror organization.” The defiant rhetoric is likely to set back U.S. expectations of a halt in the fighting between Washington’s two allies in the region, both … Continue reading
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s foreign minister on Monday ordered predominantly Kurdish Syrian forces to withdraw east of the Euphrates River “immediately” or face more strikes by Turkish forces that crossed the border last week. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s comments came as Syrian opposition groups reported that Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have captured more towns and … Continue reading
Spartan Echo 