The truth about Syria

[MosJan]

wow furks ?? no way .. no way furks do that..

[Yervant1]

Furks do that and too many more things.

CAPTURED IS FIGHTER REVEALS DETAILS OF TURKEY'S TIES WITH TERROR GROUP

15:59, 23 Dec 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Photo: AFP 2015/ YOUSSEF KARWASHAN

Sputnik - Mahmut Ghazi Tatar, a captured member of the Islamic State
terrorist organization, spoke to Sputnik Turkey, revealing details
about being in the ranks of IS and Turkey's ties with the terror group.

Mahmut Ghazi joined IS after being influenced by a friend who had
joined the group earlier. He, together with 27 other Turks, was
helped to cross the border into Syria where he joined the ranks of
the militants.

"After crossing border we were moved to a training camp 5 km from the
border. We received military training and attended religious classes.

Before the start of training, each of us was asked whether we want
to be martyrs. I refused. This question is asked of all new recruits.

Those who agree, within 6 months receive special religious training.

Since I refused, my education and training lasted 70 days. We learned
by the Turkish books. During the training, a few people from Turkey
came to check on us. They did not have beards and they were not
members of IS," Mahmut Tatar told Sputnik Turkiye during an interview.

After receiving their training the 27 members who were all Turkish
were sent to the city of Tel Abaid where they lived in houses and
where their training continued. Their names were kept secret and they
were not allowed to contact their families for a period of six months.

Talking about how he was caught by Kurdish soldiers, Ghazi said that
upon receiving warning of the presence of Kurdish soldiers from
other IS members he and 12 other group members ran away from Tal
Abaid. They were hiding in a nearby village. But the next morning
when Ghazi tried to make a run for it he was caught.

"Kurds treat prisoners well, they feed them, give water and
even cigarettes. I was kept in this room along with several other
people. I did not think that they will treat me so well, I was afraid
of torture. I thought we would be killed, but it turned out that the
Kurdish troops do not kill captives. I heard that Daesh when being
captured by Kurds are either killed at once or are kept alive to make
prisoner exchange with the Kurds."

Talking about what he heard from his commander the captured member
revealed that during his training camp in May 2015, one IS commander
Abu Talha told them that the group sells oil to Turkey. According
to Abu Talha, the money that was raised from sale of oil in Turkey
helped IS resolve all financial difficulties.

"The oil tankers that were sent every day to Turkey had crude oil,
fuel oil and gasoline. The main source of income for IS is oil trade
and oil inventories will last them a long time."

"Abu Talha also said that the group earns a lot of money in trade
with Turkey. He also said that the oil is sold through the mediation
of a number of businessmen and merchants, but did not give names. IS
also receives many products from Turkey and other Arab countries,"
Mahmut Ghazi revealed.

He mentioned that his commanders did not attach particular importance
to the US bombings. They believed that it was done as a pretense.

One of the militants asked the commander why IS was not fighting
against Israel. Abu Talha said: "First we need to break down a small
wall and then destroy the large one."

According to the captured member most new recruits joined the group
from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Yemen, Qatar, Lebanon and Egypt. They
crossed the Turkish border, which is very simple to do. The fighters
from Europe and America follow the same route.

"The commanders told us that they were going to commit a terrorist act
that would exceed the scale of the September 11 attacks on the US,"
Mahmut Ghazi concluded.

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151222/1032169144/daesh-group-member-captured-reveals-information.html

http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/12/23/captured-is-fighter-reveals-details-of-turkeys-ties-with-terror-group/

 

 

[Yervant1]

LEADER OF OPPOSITION PARTY SLAMS ANKARA OVER DOWNING OF RUSSIAN JET

December 23, 2015 - 14:55 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Russian government on Wednesday, December 23
played host to Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish
opposition party, who used his visit to criticize Ankara for shooting
down a Russian warplane last month, Reuters reports.

Russia imposed economic sanctions on Turkey after the incident and
has sharply criticized the political leadership of Turkish President
Tayyip Erdogan.

The visit by Demirtas, the leader of Turkey's People's Democratic
Party (HDP), is likely to worsen already poor ties between Moscow
and Ankara since his party is a staunch political foe of the AK Party
Erdogan founded.

Demirtas on Wednesday held closed-door talks with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"We criticized the actions of the government when the Russian plane
was shot down," Russian news agencies quoted him as telling Lavrov.

"From the very first days, we declared as an opposition party in the
country, that we do not support the position of worsening relations
with Russia," he said.

Selahattin's visit is likely to boost his pro-Kurdish party's profile
in Turkey, where it is officially registered and represented in
parliament.

Media reports quoted him before the visit as saying he wanted to open
a representative office for his party in Moscow.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/202842/

[Yervant1]

SAFETY OF ARMENIANS IS UNDER ATTACK IN TURKISH-KURDISH CLASHES: EXPERT IN TURKISH STUDIES

11:48, 23 December, 2015

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. It is not excluded that
Armenian-Turkish clashes may lead to security problems for Armenia.

Anush Hovhannisyan expressed such an opinion in the interview with
"Armenpress". "Problems are not excluded for Armenia in terms
of security. It must be taken into account. Experience shows
that whenever the situation is tense in Turkey, national issue is
getting worse and the factor of local Armenians is mentioned. During
Turkish-Kurdish clashes there are calls that you are not the Kurds but
Kurdified Armenians. The Armenians are mentioned every time in these
cases. In such cases, each time until today, Armenians are perceived
as a hostile element consciously or subconsciously. Consequently,
the security factor refreshes in the case of national obsession,"
Anush Hovhannisyan said.

Armenian community maintains neutrality in the background of
Turkish-Kurdish clashes, which, according to her, is a right decision.

"As the local Armenian community does not have influential leverages,
there is no other option than to maintain neutrality In this case,"
Anush Hovhannisyan said.

Referring to the situation in those regions and clashes with Kurds,
Anush Hovhannisyan said that the situation is extremely tense, but not
yet out of control. Turkish authorities try to control it, of course,
with its usual method; by force.

The expert said that Russia is trying to use the Kurdish factor. The
visit of Selahattin Demirtas, co-chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peoples'
Democratic Party and his meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
speaks about that.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/830554/safety-of-armenians-is-under-attack-in-turkish-kurdish-clashes-expert-in-turkish-studies.html

[Yervant1]

Anonymous declares war on Turkey over its alleged support for ISIS

By Jasper Hamill
Dec. 22, 2015


[Hacktivists launch digital blitzkreig and vow to wipe out the
systems which power the Turkish banks, airports and military
facilities]

Anonymous has blasted Turkey with a massive cyber-attack after
accusing the Islamic nation of supporting ISIS.

Last week, hacktivists fired the opening salvos in their war, bringing
down up to 40,000 Turkish websites.

Now Anonymous has threatened to take down the vital systems which
power the country's airports, banks and government facilities, as well
as the "root servers" which are the foundation of Turkey's entire
digital infrastructure.

In a statement, Anonymous said: "Turkey is supporting Daesh by buying
oil from them, and hospitalizing their fighters.

"We won't accept that Erdogan, the leader of Turkey, will help ISIS any longer.

"If you don't stop supporting ISIS, we will continue attacking your internet."
Getty Images

Last week, hacktivists clobbered Turkey with a massive "DDoS attack"
and has threatened to launch even more intense assaults.

"Stop this insanity now Turkey," Anonymous added.

"Your fate is in your own hands."


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/anonymous-declares-war-turkey-over-7056199

[MosJan]

How Russia Could Use Trade Against Turkey

Summary

The rift between Moscow and Ankara is growing after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet that allegedly violated its airspace. On Nov. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the attack would have "serious consequences for Russian-Turkish relations." There has been a flurry of diplomatic activity in the short time since the incident, and the countries have severed military contacts.

But this may not be enough to appease Putin's constituents. Calls are mounting among Russian government officials, politicians and businesses for the Kremlin to restrict trade with Turkey. And Russia has options to do just that, especially in the energy realm, where it is still Turkey's largest natural gas supplier. However, Putin will have to decide whether the benefits of punishing Turkey now by cutting off its natural gas supplies outweigh the risk of pushing Ankara to search for alternative sources of energy down the road.
Analysis

Trade between Russia and Turkey is heavily concentrated in a handful of sectors, the most important of which are energy, metals and agriculture. Altogether, Russian exports make up about 10 percent of Turkey's imports, while Turkey accounts for only 4 percent of Russia's exports.

The energy sector is by far the most important when it comes to Russia-Turkey trade. Russia is Turkey's biggest foreign source of natural gas, supplying 55 percent (about 27 billion cubic meters) of Turkish natural gas consumption needs in 2014. By comparison, only 13 percent of Russian natural gas exports go to the Turkish market. Russia sends its natural gas to Turkey through two pipelines, each with a capacity of 16 billion cubic meters. The first, Blue Stream, is a direct route that runs across the Black Sea, while the second, the Gas-West pipeline, transits Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria first. Turkey receives the rest of its natural gas imports from Azerbaijan through the South Caucasus Pipeline, from Iran through the Tabriz-Dogubayazit pipeline, and from Algeria and others through its own liquefied natural gas terminals at Marmara Ereglisi and Aliaga.
Interactive
Interactive: Veins of InfluenceFree

The biggest problem for Turkey is that if Russia chooses to cut off its natural gas supplies, it would have little room to ramp up its imports from other providers. All of Turkey's non-Russian import routes and facilities are operating near capacity; it has less than 7 billion cubic meters of extra capacity left in its LNG terminals, and possibly another 4 billion cubic meters of storage space, although it is unclear exactly how much of its storage is currently filled. Should Russia halt flows through both of its pipelines and deprive Turkey of 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas, Ankara would be unable to make up for even half the missing supplies.

The Russian Energy Ministry has already promised to honor its contracts with Turkey, and the Kremlin has its own reasons to avoid tampering with energy exports. Cutting all natural gas supplies to Turkey would mean halting the flows to Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria as well. Russia has been wary of using this option in recent years as it has tried to preserve its energy foothold in the West amid EU regulatory measures that have weakened the Kremlin's ability to politicize its energy contracts. Consequently, if Russia decides to restrict its energy trade with Turkey, it may still be willing to shut off only its direct exports to Turkey through Blue Stream.

Putin will have to weigh any punitive action via energy exports against his long-term interest in gaining Turkey's cooperation on future projects, especially TurkStream. The controversial pipeline is intended to bypass Europe, linking directly to Turkey through another Black Sea connection of between 30 billion cubic meters and 63 billion cubic meters. In recent weeks, the Kremlin indicated that Russia and Turkey would try to make progress on an agreement about the proposed pipeline during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's December visit to Russia — a visit that now may not happen. If Russia restricts its natural gas exports to Turkey for political purposes, Ankara will likely hesitate to move forward with any energy project that would increase its direct reliance on Russian supplies.
Moscow Has Other Options

Energy is where trade restrictions would hit Turkey the hardest, but given the blowback such tactics could have on Russia's long-term interests, Moscow may look to make its point elsewhere. Russia supplies a hefty portion of Turkey's metals: Russian iron and steel make up 15 percent of Turkey's imports, while Russian aluminum makes up 31 percent. However, the global markets for these goods are saturated, and Turkey would be able to easily compensate for any lost supplies with imports from elsewhere. Therefore, targeting the metals trade would burden Turkey only temporarily, and the United States and Europe would likely facilitate or support transportation to fill any longer-term gaps.

Alternatively, Russia could restrict its exports of cereals to Turkey, especially wheat. In 2014, Russia provided roughly 70 percent of Turkey's total wheat imports, meeting nearly one-third of the country's consumption needs. But Turkey has seen a strong domestic wheat harvest this year, and low global prices would minimize the financial impact of Turkey having to find a replacement for Russian wheat. In 2010, Ankara showed its ability to withstand Russian grain export bans, with inflation being the only major ramification.

Rather than cutting its exports, Russia could look to ban imports of Turkish food, along the lines of its current ban against EU and U.S. imports that it enacted as part of counter-sanctions. The Russian market consumes nearly 40 percent of Turkish fruits and vegetables exports, an amount that has risen slightly since Moscow implemented counter-sanctions. Russian food watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor announced Nov. 25 that it was banning poultry imports from subsidiaries of Turkish firm CP Standart Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi because of listeria concerns. However, there are still 10 other Turkish companies that have licenses to export poultry to Russia, meaning the case probably was not politically motivated.

Moscow could also enact some restrictions that are primarily intended to make a statement rather than a major economic impact. Russia's Federal Tourism Agency has already asked Russian tourist operators to suspend trips by Russians to Turkey, and the Russian Foreign Ministry has recommended that Russians avoid traveling to the country. Since tourism makes up 12 percent of Turkey's gross domestic product, it is one of the more visible targets Moscow has at its disposal. Russian media have been quick to show video footage of Russians returning their tickets to Turkey. Still, Russian tourists account for only 14 percent of Turkey's total tourism, and their trips are usually concentrated in the summer months, with the exception of a slight uptick during winter holidays.

Russia's final option would be to hinder Turkey's trade with other former Soviet states. Moscow pursued a similar strategy in early October, when Russian customs officials halted the issuance of transit documents for Turkish trucks. Approximately 8,000 Turkish trucks cross Russia on their way to Central and East Asia each year, mostly transporting chemical or electronic products valued at about $1.7 billion. The Kremlin has used similar customs restrictions on other countries in the past, and Turkey could be next.

Russia has a wide range of trade-related choices when it comes to retaliating against Turkey's military actions. However, the only sector that trade restrictions could truly deal a blow to is energy. Russia has wielded this tool many times before, in many different crises. But the Kremlin is aware that while it may make a clear political statement in the short term, it would also accelerate Turkey's drive to diversify its energy sources in the hope of depriving Moscow of its leverage in the long run.

 

[MosJan]

A NETWORK OF INFLUENCE

 

A NETWORK OF INFLUENCE

Unlike most commodities, natural gas has limited transport options and those options are expensive. As a result, natural gas pipelines are frequently used for political leverage. The most widespread and notable battlefield has been on the European continent, where Russia has exerted its influence through an intricate network of pipelines. Click the buttons below for more information.

 

https://www.stratfor.com/interactive/interactive-veins-influence

[Yervant1]

"SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES" TAKE CONTROL OF ALEPPO VILLAGE

16:37, 24 Dec 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The "Syrian Democratic Forces" announced that it has gained control of
a key village in the Northern Province of Aleppo in Syria on Thursday,
Fars News Agency reports.

The "Syrian Democratic Forces" said its fighters have captured the
village of al-Saharij in Aleppo province.

The group did not provide any further details on its operation.

The Syrian Democratic Forces is an alliance of Kurdish, Arab,
Assyrians, Armenian and Turkmen militants seeks to expel ISIL from
Syria.

On December 10, fighters from the "Syrian Democratic Forces" engaged
in fierce clashes with ISIL Takfiri militants in the terrorists'
stronghold of Raqqa province in Syria.

Informed sources said that the clashes erupted in the vicinity of
Khirbet Hedlah village in the countryside of Ain Issa town Northwest
of Raqqa.

The clashes left militants from both sides killed and injured.

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941003000347

http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/12/24/syrian-democratic-forces-take-control-of-aleppo-village/

[Yervant1]

RUSSIA ASKS ERDOGAN TO KEEP PROMISE OF RESIGNATION

Thu Dec 24, 2015 4:21
Updates:

TEHRAN (FNA)- Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova
said following independent reports in support of Moscow's intel and
evidence on the Turkish scandal of oil trade with the ISIL Takfiri
terrorist groups, it's now President Erdogan's turn to act on his
words and resign.

Addressing a weekly press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, Russian
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that her country's
information about smuggling of ISIL oil in Turkey has been confirmed
by other sources now.

"For instance, Danish newspaper Klassenkampen has published report
on Turkish participation in oil smuggling, which has been prepared
by consulting company Rystad Energy," she said.

The Spokesperson stressed that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan
had stated earlier that he would step down if ISIL oil smuggling
would be confirmed, but Russia has presented evidence on Turkish
partnership in the smuggling, implying that it's now Erdogan's turn.

"I would like to remind you that not too long ago, Turkish President
announced his readiness to resign if it is proven that oil deliveries
by Ankara or with the help of the government of Ankara from the
terrorist group [are taking place], that 'if this fact is proven,
I'll leave this chair,' Erdogan told journalists on the sidelines of
the climate summit in Paris. I'd like to understand: What's up with
that chair?" the Russian FM spokeswoman underlined.

"Russia is implementing all measures in countering oil smuggling by
the ISIL and hopes that other countries will join in cooperating with
Moscow," Zakharova said.

"As you know, and we've said this constantly, Russia is implementing
measures in order to stop and close the paths of oil deliveries by
terrorists. We hope for active actual cooperation with other countries
towards goals," she added.

Earlier, the Russian defense ministry announced that Erdogan and his
family members are directly involved in illegal oil deliveries from
ISIL oil fields in Syria.

Turkey's leadership, including president Erdogan and his family, is
involved in illegal oil trade with ISIL militants, the Russian Defense
Ministry had said, stressing that Turkey is the final destination
for oil smuggled from Syria and Iraq.

Satellite and drone images showed hundreds and hundreds of oil trucks
moving from ISIL-held territory to Turkey to reach their destination at
Turkish refineries and ports controlled by Turkish president's family.

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941003000763

[Yervant1]

KEY LATTAKIA AREA LIBERATED FROM MILITANTS' CONTROL

Thu Dec 24, 2015 1:5
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941003000293

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army and the National Defense Forces won
back a strategic point in the Northern countryside of Lattakia after
fierce clashes with the terrorists.

The Syrian forces managed to take full control over point 458.5 in
the direction of al-Kabir Black Mountain in the Northern countryside
of Lattakia on Wednesday after clashes with the terrorists, informed
sources said.

A large group of terrorists were killed and injured in the clashes,
the sources added.

Earlier on Wednesday, military sources said that militants are
retreating from more lands in the Northern parts of Lattakia province.

"The Syrian army alongside the National Defense Forces (NDF) launched
massive operations in the mountainous regions of Northern Lattakia,
and completed their control over vast territories after killing or
wounding scores of militants," the sources said.

"The defeated militants have laid down arms and try to find a way to
escape the battlefronts in the coastal province," the sources added.

Military analysts believe that the eye-catching victories of the
pro-government forces against the militant groups in the mountainous
regions of Lattakia in winter time are indebted to the strong will
of the Syrian soldiers, the NDF and Hezbollah fighters to route out
militancy and terrorism in the country.

They further added that very good back up of the ground forces by the
Syrian and Russian Air Force is another factor behind the continued
defeats of the militant groups.

Earlier reports said that the Syrian Army announced that its soldiers
alongside the popular forces and backed up by the country's air
force have completed control over Jabal al-Nuba (al-Nuba Mountains)
and Jabal Sheikh al-Sayyid near the border with Turkey after hours
of heavy clashes and bombardments.

"The Syrian ground and air forces stormed the defense lines of the
militant groups near al-Nuba mountains and pushed the militant groups
from the region," the army said.

"Scores of militants were killed or wounded in the attack," the
army added.

"In the meantime, the pro-government forces stormed the remaining
groups of the terrorists in Jabal Sheikh al-Sayyid in the Northern part
of the coastal province and restored full security to the mountainous
region," the army went on to say.

[Yervant1]

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE: MEMBERS OF TURKISH MILITARY CONSPIRE WITH DAESH

© AFP 2015/ YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU
MIDDLE EAST
17:13 24.12.2015(updated 17:27 24.12.2015) Get short URL
370425

Some members of the Turkish military stationed at the Syrian border
were apparently communicating with Daesh militants, according to
media reports.

© REUTERS/ STRINGER/FILES Russia Gives France Information on Turkey's
Role in Financing Daesh A wiretapping operation conducted last year
revealed that several Turkish military officers had contacts with
Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) militants, and that they might've helped the
Islamist movement obtain new recruits, according to the Turkish
daily Cumhuriyet.

The wiretapping was part of an investigation launched by Ankara
Chief Prosecutor's Office after six Turkish citizens were reported as
missing and were possibly recruited to join Daesh by their relatives,
the newspaper adds.

The prosecutor's office obtained permission to tap the phones of 19
people suspected of facilitating contact between the missing people
and Daesh. The investigation revealed that some of the suspects had
helped the wannabe Daesh recruits get in contact with the Islamist
movement, and to obtain the documents they needed to cross the border
with Syria, as well as a means of transportation.

The transcripts of the wiretapped phone conversations between the
suspects and the Islamist militants obtained by the newspaper also
suggest that at least several members of the Turkish military assisted
the Daesh operations.

According to Today's Zaman newspaper, the investigation was relegated
to the military prosecutor's office of the Gaziantep 5th Armored
Brigade Command on March 15, 2015, as the suspected involvement of
the army officers put it outside of the Ankara Chief Prosecutor's
Office's jurisdiction.

Read more:
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151224/1032260059/turkey-military-daesh-cooperation.html#ixzz3vFdf2Trl

[Yervant1]

NATO'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST? TURKISH GOV'T SUPPORTING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

© AP Photo/ Uncredited
Politics
18:01 24.12.2015Get short URL
111230
NATO member-state Turkey is ruled by a criminal regime, which is
supporting international terrorism and waging war against the freedom
of speech, US geopolitical analyst Eric Draitser notes.

The Turkish regime has no scruples about sponsoring terrorists in the
Middle East and beyond or detaining journalists for bringing to light
Ankara's illicit political manipulations, US independent geopolitical
analyst and founder of StopImperialism.org Eric Draitser underscores.

"Turkey has been implicated in a wide variety of crimes (some
constituting war crimes) which cast Ankara in a very bad light:
a supporter of terrorism, a criminal government engaging in acts of
aggression against its neighbors and other world powers, the repression
of journalists and others who have brought the truth to the light of
day, among many others. Taken in total, it becomes clear that under
President Erdogan Turkey has become a belligerent actor with delusions
of hegemony and a complete disregard for human rights and sovereignty,"
Draitser writes in his recent article for New Eastern Outlook.

Flags of Turkey, left, and the European Union fly over the dome of a
mosque in Istanbul, Turkey © AP Photo/ Murad Sezer How to Treat the
Sick Man of Europe: Turkey a 'Factor of Instability' According to the
geopolitical analyst, the criminality of the Erdogan regime extends to
the following: "aggression against sovereign states, material support
for international terrorism, and systematic violation of human rights."

Draitser calls attention to the fact that it is support for
international terrorism that obviously eclipses Ankara's misdeeds.

Recep Erdogan's government and intelligence services played a direct
role in funding, arming and training the so-called Free Syrian Army as
well as al-Qaeda's affiliate al-Nusra Front and Daesh (Islamic State).

The American analyst recalls that back in 2012 US mainstream media
confirmed that the CIA was sending weapons to anti-Assad forces
from the Turkish side of the border, through the notorious Muslim
Brotherhood.

People react as smoke billows from burning pallets set on fire during
clashes between Turkish riot policemen and Kurdish protesters in
the southeastern city of Diyarbakir on November 1, 2015 after first
results of the Turkish general election showed a clear victory to
the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Turkish police fired tear
gas and water cannon at Kurds who were protesting after the election
appeared to deliver a clear victory to AKP, an AFP photographer
said. Latest results say the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party
(HDP) won slightly over 10 percent of the vote, just enough to scrape
into parliament.

© AFP 2015/ Bulent Kilic Why 'Turkey Can Easily Become a New Syria'
As it later emerged, Turkish intelligence was also involved in arming
Islamists in Syria: it was editor-in-chief of the Turkish Cumhuriyet
media outlet Can Dundar who exposed it and published video footage
confirming that Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MÄ°T)
was involved in transporting arms for Sunni extremist groups in Syria.

Needless to say, Can Dundar and Cumhuriyet Ankara bureau chief Erdem
Gul were immediately jailed on "espionage" and "terror" charges.

Draitser emphasizes that during an official speech at Harvard
University US Vice President Joe Biden openly lambasted Turkey and
Washington's allies in the Persian Gulf for sponsoring Sunni extremism
in the region.

"Our allies in the region were our largest problem in Syria. The Turks
were great friends... [and] the Saudis, the Emirates, etcetera. What
were they doing?...They poured hundreds of millions of dollars and
tens of tons of weapons into anyone who would fight against Assad --
except that the people who were being supplied, [they] were al-Nusra
[Front], and al-Qaeda, and the extremist elements of jihadis who were
coming from other parts of the world," Biden said in his famous speech.

A Syrian girl holds her national flag bearing a portrait of Syria's
President Bashar al-Assad © AFP 2015/ ANWAR AMRO Syrians Made Their
Choice: 'Assad is Their Man for Now and Into the Future' Furthermore,
new evidence has appeared proving that Erdogan's son Bilal has long
been engaged in oil smuggling from Daesh-controlled territories in
Syria and Iraq.

However, that is not all. Draitser underscores that Ankara has also
been involved in funding and training Uyghur terrorists from China's
Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

He quotes Syria's ambassador to China Imad Moustapha who elaborated
that "[Recep] Erdogan has been bringing Uyghurs into Syria by special
transport while his government has been agitating in favor of their
struggle in China. Uyghur and Burmese Muslim terrorists who escape
into Thailand somehow get Turkish passports and are then flown to
Turkey for transit into Syria."

The US geopolitical analyst stresses that as many as five thousand
Uyghur extremists have arrived in Turkey since 2013, citing IHS-Jane's
Defense Weekly. According to some estimates, two thousand Uyghur
militants have joined Islamist fighters in Syria.

"It has become clear that Turkey is now unmistakably a major supporter
of international terrorism, with Syria being merely the proving
ground for a stable of terror groups directly or indirectly working
with Erdogan's government," Draitser points out.

"Let's face it, Turkey is now a mafia state ruled by a criminal
regime," the geopolitical analyst highlights.

Embarrassingly for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Turkey is
also a NATO member state.

Read more:
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151224/1032260165/turkish-government-erdogan-supporting-international-terrorism.html#ixzz3vFeW6apl

[Yervant1]

CONFESSIONS OF A DAESH FIGHTER: TARGET PRACTICE IN TURKEY

© AP Photo/ Militant website via AP
MIDDLE EAST
21:01 24.12.2015(updated 21:24 24.12.2015) Get short URL
081761

A former Daesh militant now held captive by Kurdish forces has told
of his experiences fighting for the terrorist organization, including
the training he underwent in Turkey before returning to Syria.

© REUTERS/ STRINGER/FILES Daesh Executes 50 New Recruits in Iraq
for Refusing to Wear Suicide Belts A former member of Daesh has told
Sputnik Turkey about his experiences as part of the terror group,
including the time he spent with the organization in Turkey.

"In August 2014 I trained in Adana under a Daesh commander," said
20-year-old Abdurrahman Adulhadi. He was captured by the Kurdish
People's Protection Units (YPG) earlier this month in the al-Hol
region of eastern al-Hasakah Governorate, northeastern Syria.

"There were 60 of us, and we trained in a village not far from the
airport. We got up in the morning and played sport. Once a week we
had target practice, they taught us how to use Kalashnikovs, machine
guns and other kinds of weaponry."

"We were trained by Ahmet from Urfa (a city in the South Eastern
Anatolia region of Turkey, close to the Syrian border), and a group
member called Ibrahim was our interpreter."

"The training took place in Turkey because the Daesh command thought
that it was safer there than in Syria. It wasn't possible to carry
out training in Syria because of airstrikes."

Adulhadi said that Daesh presented its training facility in Adana
to local media as a camp of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), one of many
opposition groups the Turkish government allows to have a base in
Turkey; the FSA's base is in the city of Hatay on the Turkish-Syrian
border.

"In the media they wrote that we were training in an FSA military
camp, but in fact, all 60 of us were members of Daesh. We were Syrian
nationals, many of whom in the beginning moved to Turkey to earn some
money, and then joined Daesh."

© NATRONET ð~_"- TEKNOBIN In November Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) published
a 14 minute training video reportedly filmed in a camp somewhere
between Afghanistan and Pakistan Having undergone training, Adulhadi
said his main responsibility was to persuade more Syrians to join
the organization's preparations in Turkey.

"I made contacts with Syrians on the internet, helped them to get to
Turkey and begin training. After I undertook the training, for five
months I lived together with a relative who was a Daesh commander in
Adana. My task was to meet the new recruits arriving from Syria. After
training we sent them to Urfa, and from there - to Raqqa. From Raqqa
they distributed themselves across different regions of Syria."

© AFP 2015/ YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU With Friends Like These: Members of
Turkish Military Conspire With Daesh Daesh in Turkey was provided with
arms from Iraq, which were transported across the border in ordinary
cars under the pretense of carrying food and other humanitarian
supplies.

"Heavy weapons were delivered from Ash-Shaddadi (a town in southern
Al-Hasakah Governorate)," said Adulhadi. He explained that he had
been sent by a Daesh commander to work for the group's intelligence
service in the town when he was captured by the YPG.

"I spent one night there, and the next night December 11 2015 YPG
forces attacked our positions, and took both of us captive. In al-Hol
the commander was a Frenchman called Abu Yahya."

Adulhadi, whose brother is still fighting for the terrorist
organization, added that he was left disillusioned by his time with
the terrorist organization.

"What I read about Daesh, and what I was faced with in reality were
absolutely different things," he said.

Read more:
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151224/1032272511/daesh-fighter-turkey-training.html#ixzz3vGW2QNkW

[Yervant1]

RUSSIA MULLS EXPANDING TURKISH SANCTIONS TO MANUFACTURED GOODS

Intellinews - Russia Today
December 22, 2015 Tuesday

Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade has submitted to the government
a proposal for an import ban on up to 80% of Turkish manufactured
goods, Prime reported on December 22, citing the deputy minister
Viktor Evtukhov.

The proposal is designed to create a "favourable environment for
Russian producers who are capable of substituting Turkish goods",
Evtukhov said. He added that there was no indication yet if the
government would adopt the measures, which would mark a new cycle in
the conflict with Ankara over the November 23 downing of a Russian
bomber on the Syrian-Turkish border.

Also citing unnamed sources in the Ministry of Economic Development
tasked with revising or updated the sanctions against Turkey,
newswires reported earlier that the government could expand the
"special economic measures" against Turkey as of January 1, 2016.

Apart from the already implemented ban on imports of some fruits,
vegetables and poultry types, a ban on Turkish migrant workers, and
charter flights to Turkey, Russia is considering expanding the scope
of economic sanctions on the country by targeting the hotel business,
timber trade, pilot training and state purchases.

The aftermath of the destruction of the Su-24 bomber and accompanying
deaths of two Russian military personnel has escalated to a point where
President Vladimir Putin said it will be "practically impossible to
come to an agreement with the current Turkish leadership".

Referring at the time and three weeks later in his year-end press
conference to a Turkish "stab in the back", Putin stresses that Russia
has no intention of backing down in its response to the incident,
which Moscow says was a pre-planned "ambush".

Economic consequences already included Russia's Federal Security Forces
(FSB) reportedly raiding four Turkish banks to investigate suspicions
of money laundering, Russia cutting quotas for foreign workers in
2016 to exclude numbers of Turkish labourers in the country, as well
as short-term inflationary pressure that hobbled the central bank's
monetary easing policy for some months.

Geopolitical buttons were also pushed, with Russia has reportedly
agreeing to deploy 7,000 soldiers on the Armenian-Turkish border
at the Armenian government's request, and Russia's Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov intending to meet the leader of the left-wing pro-Kurdish
Peoples' Democratic Party Selahattin Demirtas.

[Yervant1]

ATTACK ON SU-24 IN SYRIA BECOMES ACT OF 'ALMOST BETRAYAL' BY TURKEY - SHOIGU

Interfax-Russia & CIS General Newswire
December 23, 2015 Wednesday 3:25 PM MSK

MOSCOW. Dec 23

The Turkish attack on a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 bomber in Syria was
unexpected and insidious, Russian Defense Minister Gen. of the Army
Sergei Shoigu said.

"For us this has really been such an act, almost a betrayal, I would
call it. Because we absolutely did not expect such actions by people,
who declare to the whole world participation in the anti-terrorist
operation against ISIL, other terrorist organizations in Syrian
territory," Shoigu said at a meeting with Armenian Defense Minister
Seyran Ohanyan in Moscow on Wednesday.

He thanked the republican head of the defense agency for the words
of support and condolences which have earlier been offered over the
perishing of Russian servicemen in Syria. "You were practically the
first to respond to this major tragedy," Shoigu said.

He said that the sides were to discuss at the meeting "quite a large
number of issues related to the plans for 2016, the implementation
of the cooperation program in 2015."

"And, certainly, everything that actually concerns alarming moments
in the situation in the world is to be discussed. You are aware
that we are conducting a major anti-terrorist operation in Syria,"
the Russian defense minister said.

All the plans of cooperation between Russia and Armenia in 2015 have
been fulfilled, he said. "And in the field of drills, and in the sphere
of training specialists, additional recruitment of officers into our
educational establishments and in military-technical cooperation,"
Shoigu said.

[Yervant1]

http://i2.wp.com/www.diken.com.tr/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/latuff-araguler-sb.jpg

TURKEY'S WELL KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER, ARA GULER, TOOK ERDOGAN'S PHOTOS AND SOME REACTIONS FOLLOWED...

Erkan, Turkey
Dec 23 2015

In Turkey's repressive news agenda this is already past. But for the
record here, Ara Guler, an Armenian Turkish journalist took photos of
Erdogan's family recently. Yet another PR show for Erdogan's family
(photo gallery here). Ara Guler is known to be relatively close to
AKP circles and he is known to ignore social issues in his photos. So
I am not surprised for his latest enterprise.

Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff sums it up:

See caricature at
http://erkansaka.net/turkeys-well-known-photographer-ara-guler-took-erdogans-photos-and-some-reactions-followed/

Edited December 25, 2015 by Yervant1

[Yervant1]

EU TURNS BLIND EYE ON ERDOGAN ATROCITIES: AUSTRIAN MEDIA

http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81893412/

Tehran, Dec 25, IRNA - Pursuing its own political goals, the EU turns a
blind eye on Turkey's waging of a bloody war against its own residents,
a stance the bloc should be ashamed of, Austrian media reported.

Turkey "impertinently" exploits an agreement with the EU on assistance
in accommodating refugees, ferociously killing members of the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK), and the EU ignores the problem, Austria-based
outlet Kurier reported.

According to Sputnik, at a November 29 EU-Turkey summit, a plan was
created to stem the heavy flow of migrants from the Middle East to
mainland Europe.

Under the terms of the agreement, Ankara would provide refugees with
improved conditions while living on Turkish soil, in exchange for some
three billion euro, and a revival of talks on Turkey joining the EU,
as well as a streamlined visa regime.

'Erdogan, in an impertinent way, exploits his agreement with Brussels,
that was sweetened by three billion euro," the Kurier story states.

The story asserts that the Turkish leader doesn't keep his pledge.

Syrian refugees are placed in isolation in Turkey, in breach of the
terms of the European Human Rights Convention.

The reporters pointed out that, with the Turkish deal, the EU is not
observing human rights and democratic values. According to Kurier,
the EU was the first party that "raised the banner of democracy,"
but then "put it down ashamed."

The situation in Turkey deteriorated sharply after a series of terror
attacks earlier this year. On July 20 the Daesh (ISIL) militant group
conducted a terror act in the rural settlement of Suruc on the Syrian
border, killing 33 Kurdish activists. The Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) claimed that, in response, it killed two Turkish policemen
reputed to have ties to Daesh.

Over the last four months over 180 Turkish policemen, military troops
and ordinary citizens have been killed by the PKK.

Since July 24, Turkish air forces have been carrying out airstrikes
on PKK positions in the northern Iraq. Currently the Turkish military
is conducting an operation claimed to have killed some 110 Kurds.

[Yervant1]

SYRIAN ARMY SCORES ANOTHER MAJOR VICTORY IN LATTAKIA, CAPTURES SEVERAL STRATEGIC REGIONS

Fri Dec 25, 2015 6:38
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941004000741

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army continued its massive advances in
Lattakia, and seized back several strategic regions in the Northwestern
province.

The army units won back Ketf Al-Harami after their recent capture of
Jabal al-Nuba (al-Nuba Mountain) on Friday.

The Syrian army also won back Talet Al-Awda in the countryside of
Lattakia today.

The Syrian troops also advanced in Talet Ghazaleh region of Lattakia
province, inflicting heavy losses on the Liw Suqur Al-Jabal militants,
a branch of the Free Syrian Army in the region.

Meantime, commander of the Mohamad Sino Battalion Mohamad Al-Seraj was
killed in heavy clashes with the Syrian army in Lattakia countryside.

On Thursday, the Syrian army seized control over another region in
Lattakia province that is of much strategic value.

The Syrian army gained control of the height 489.5 after capturing
Height 465.5 in al-Kabir Black Mountain in the Northern countryside
of Lattakia.

The recapture of the height came after fierce clashes with the
militants that left a large group of the terrorists dead and injured.

Height 489.5 is on the Eastern side of the town of Attira around 1.5
km away from the al-Saraf town, which is a major crossing leading to
Jabal (mount) Zahia that is used by the terrorists.

On Wednesday, the Syrian army and the National Defense Forces won
back a strategic point in the Northern countryside of Lattakia after
fierce clashes with the terrorists.

The Syrian forces managed to take full control over point 458.5 in
the direction of al-Kabir Black Mountain in the Northern countryside
of Lattakia on Wednesday after clashes with the terrorists, informed
sources said.

A large group of terrorists were killed and injured in the clashes,
the sources added.

[Yervant1]

SYRIAN WAR: 'FOREIGN REBELS' PROMOTE 'FOREIGN AGENDA' WITH FOREIGN WEAPONS

© AFP 2015/ JOSEPH EID
MIDDLE EAST
11:20 28.12.2015(updated 12:12 28.12.2015) Get short URL
Topic:
Russia Versus ISIL in Syria (469)
62179362

It is utterly wrong to describe what is happening in Syria as a
"civil war" since the Syrian conflict has always been "driven from
abroad," New York-based geopolitical analyst Ulson Gunnar wrote for
New Eastern Outlook.

"The conflict has been fueled by a torrent of weapons, cash, support
and even fighters drawn not from among the Syrian people, but from
[foreign special interests] in Riyadh, Ankara, London, Paris, Brussels
and Washington," he explained.

Nevertheless, American and European politicians as well as mainstream
Western media insist that the Syrian conflict is a civil war. Gunnar
believes that this myth serves to protect those, who sparked the
Syrian conflict, by diverting the public opinion away from the war's
true causes.

"Those calling this a civil war and the terrorists fighting the Syrian
state 'opposition' hope that their audience never wanders too far from
their lies to understand the full context of this conflict, the moves
made before it even started and where those moves were made from,"
the analyst explained.

© SPUTNIK/ GRIGORIY SISOEV Checkmate: Putin's Maneuver in Syria
'Genius' Syria has always enjoyed good relations with Russia. Both
countries have cordial political and economic relations. Damascus and
Moscow also share similar understanding of what the emerging global
world order should look like. For instance, both countries promote
"a multipolar world order that emphasizes the primacy of national
sovereignty," he explained.

For their part, rebel groups fighting in Syria have close ties with
foreign countries in the West and across the Middle East, the analyst
pointed out.

Organizations like al-Qaeda's official branch in Syria known as
al-Nusra Front or Daesh could not have been so successful if they only
used resources available in Syria. They have a wide support network
transcending Syrian borders. For instance, "Saudi Arabia openly arms,
funds and provides political support for many of the militant groups
operating in Syria since the beginning," the analyst noted.

© AP PHOTO/ MILITANT WEBSITE VIA AP In this picture released on
June 26, 2015, by a website of Islamic State militants, Islamic State
militants fire an anti-tank missile in Hassakeh, northeast Syria

Western media tried to portray Daesh as a group that appeared out
of nowhere, but Russia's counterterrorism campaign in Syria exposed
its sources of military and political power. "When Russian warplanes
began pounding convoys moving to and from Turkish territory, bound for
[Daesh], the mystery was finally solved," he noted.

Daesh fighters, like all other militant groups operating in Syria,
"were the recipients of generous, unending stockpiles of weapons,
equipment, cash and fighters piped in from around the globe,"
he observed.

© AFP 2015/ GEORGE OURFALIAN Time to Run: Syrian Army Offensive in
Damascus Causes 'Chaos' Among Terrorists The first step to resolve
the Syrian crisis, according to Gunnar, requires honesty with regard
to what is really happening in Syria and who bears the responsibility
for the ongoing war.

"Acknowledging that Syria's ongoing conflict is the result of foreign
aggression against Damascus would make the solution very simple. The
solution would be to allow Damascus to restore order within its
borders while taking action either at the UN or on the battlefield
against those nations fueling violence aimed at Syria. Perhaps the
clarity of this solution is why those behind this conflict have tried
so hard to portray it as a civil war," the analyst assumed.

Read more:
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151228/1032390436/syrian-conflict-isis-nusra.html#ixzz3vc0BrCAt

[Yervant1]

'WE HAVE TO SAVE SYRIA'S CULTURE FOR ALL HUMANITY'

The Irish Times
December 28, 2015 Monday

Islamic State not the only threat to the preservation of a unique
heritage

by: Michael Jansen

Syria's director of antiquities is a worried man. On December 13th,
a mortar struck the garden of the national museum and a second shell
hit the adjacent domed buildings of the Ottoman compound, a jewel
of 16th-century Turkish architecture and the best Ottoman shrine
in Damascus.

"Fortunately, there is not much damage," says Maamoun Abdulkarim.

The garden is filled with tombstones, sarcophagi, statuary and other
ancient stone treasures, while the Ottoman structure is fragile and
could collapse if hit by a missile. Unlike the museum, the garden is
still open to visitors.

Abdulkarim's nightmare is the fighting and chaos in Damascus. The
museum's galleries have been evacuated and its artefacts have been
stored in places considered secure, while 300,000 objects have been
brought to the capital from provincial museums and sites.

"We opened all the safe places in [the northwestern province of] Idlib
and saved the Syro-Mesopotamian history. We brought the collection
from Deir al-Zor [occupied by Islamic State]," says Abdulkarim.

He says his team saved 16,000 cuneiform tablets, preserving script
dating to 1,400 BC, one of the earliest forms of writing. "We do
not have a lot of space now [to hide the collection]. If Damascus
is attacked, we cannot save the collection, no one in Syria can save
the collection."

While destructive of Syria's cultural heritage, the crisis has,
however, provided "an excellent opportunity for documenting the
collection. During 2014-15 we have photographed 250,000 items for
the archive."

'Can we save Palmyra?'

Abdulkarim says he has just come from a meeting in Vienna where he
presented a paper asking: "Can we save Palmyra?" The city has been
occupied for six months by Islamic State, which has blown up two of
its most important temples, pillaged antiquities, and beheaded its
elderly guardian, Khaled al-Asaad.

Abdulkarim told the gathering that the archaeological marvels of
Palmyra are well documented and can be recreated with the original,
or similiar, stones. It is also possible, using 3D printers, to
recreate the structures with other materials, he says.

"If we can save Palmyra, we can save civilisation," he says. "We will
show the terrorists we will rebuild the Temple of Bel [in Palmyra]
and the Omayyad mosque in Aleppo - its stones have not been exploded."

He argues that it is essential to protect Syrian cultural heritage
as well as Syrian lives, so as to preserve "the memory of the
Syrian people - we have to save our culture for our children and
all humanity".

The struggle to preserve that heritage involves not only preventing
the destruction of sites and the contents of museums, but also halting
looting, smuggling and trade on the art and antiquities black market.

Smugglers and tomb robbers who have operated freely in Iraq since
the 2003 US occupation are now in Syria, Abdulkarim says. He and his
colleagues "keep in touch with Unesco", Interpol and other agencies
tracking looted artefacts.

For example, it should be possible, he says, to track down 527 objects
stolen by Islamic State from the Central Bank of Raqqa, where they
were placed for safekeeping, and 1,000 antique arms and weapons from
the folklore museum at Deir Atieh. "We have all the documentation . .

. We are waiting for the international community to implement UN
Security Council resolution 2199, which was adopted under chapter
seven [of the UN charter which deals with threats to peace] and should
provide protection for Syrian and Iraqi antiquities."

Loot

Syrian loot flows to the international black market through Lebanon,
Jordan and Turkey. While Abdulkarim's department has requested
documentation of seized material from these countries, only Lebanon
has complied by providing photos of 90 confiscated items.

He says he has "no information from Turkey", where 2,000 items have
been intercepted. Jordan has stopped cooperating for political reasons.

"Politics must not be confused with heritage," he says. "Even if they
refuse to repatriate objects to the Syrian government, they should
prepare and share data."

Abdulkarim, who has been in the job since 2012, has been criticised
by Damascus's opponents for accepting a government appointment.

"I do not take one Syrian pound for this job," he says. "I have my
salary as a professor."

He works at Damascus University, but he and the department's employees
see their jobs as duty.

His daughter, six years old when the war began, was terrified by
explosions and the sight of fighting, and wanted to leave Syria. "It
was a very difficult decision. My father saw his parents killed in
1918 - my father is Armenian and mother Kurdish. I told my daughter
that I would be condemned if I leave. She agreed we should stay."

[Yervant1]

SYRIAN MINISTER: DOCUMENTS SHOW TURKEY'S ROLE IN ISIL ILLEGAL OIL TRADE

Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:52
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13941009000522

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian Oil Minister Suleiman al-Abbas blasted Ankara
for helping the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group with illegal oil trade,
and said that the Damascus government has documents which expose
Turkey's role in this regard.

"We have documents and photos which prove the Turkish government
purchases crude from these groups; there are also documents which
show the theft of oil rig drilling equipment and transferring them
to Turkey," Al-Abbas told the Arabic-language al-Alam TV.

He reiterated that oil is part of Syria's economy and for the same
reason the terrorist groups have targeted it.

Al-Abbas pointed to the US-led anti-ISIL coalition's support for the
terrorist groups, and said, "The coalition forces only target Syria's
infrastructures and they let the Turkish oil tankers to freely cross
the border."

The Syrian oil minister noted that after the Russian airstrikes
on ISIL's positions, the ISIL's illegal oil trade has considerably
declined.

In relevant remarks on Tuesday, Syrian Electrical Energy Minister Imad
Hamis said the ISIL-Turkey oil smuggling ruins Syrian economy, and
Russia's actions are helping to stop the loss of the crucial resource.

Russian Aerospace Forces' airstrikes against trucks smuggling oil from
Syria into Turkey by ISIL, prohibited in numerous countries including
Russia and the United States, have helped in revealing the volume of
theft from Syria's natural resources, Hamis said.

"The Turkish government and groups associated with it have played a
large role in the theft of Syrian oil. This is one of the key factors
influencing Syria's oil and energy sectors.

Lately many oil cisterns and tanker trucks have been shown smuggling
stolen Syrian oil into Turkey that the Russian Aerospace Forces have
been striking. This has revealed the volume of oil that the Syrian
government is losing that is needed to produce energy," Hamis said.

Russia has repeatedly stated that Turkey is the main procurer of
illegal oil from Syria and Iraq, accusing President Erdogan and his
family of direct involvement in the ISIL oil business.

The Russian Defense Ministry unveiled satellite images showing ISIL
transporting up to 200,000 barrels of oil in at least 1,722 trucks
to third-party countries, most notably Turkey.

[Yervant1]

SYRIA AMBASSADOR TO UN: TURKEY PRESIDENT'S GOAL IS TO REVIVE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

11:47, 30.12.2015

Syria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Bashar al-Ja'afari,
stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's goal is to
"revive" the Ottoman Empire.

The Syrian diplomat wrote about this in his letter to UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council, reported
RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

The Syrian envoy said it was Erdogan's intention to revive "the
Ottoman colonial legacy." Ja'afari pointed to the Turkish leader's
statements on protecting people of Turkish descent a few years ago,
ignoring the fact that they might be citizens of other countries.

Ja'afari also noted that Turkey assisted the terrorists in infiltrating
into Syria.

"Turkish interference in Syria's internal affairs took many forms,
including direct involvement of the regime of Erdogan, the Turkish
armed forces in offensive military operations in support of
terrorists," Ja'afari wrote in the letter.

Syria's envoy also accused Turkey of committing crimes against
Syrian refugees who have fled to Turkey, and called on the UN "to
take a firm stand" to "put an end to these violations and crimes"
committed by Ankara.

http://news.am/eng/news/304690.html

[Yervant1]

AT LEAST 4 ARMENIANS KILLED IN ISLAMIC STATE BLASTS IN SYRIA

January 8, 2016 - 13:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - At least 4 Armenians have been killed in Islamic
State-authored blasts in a Christian neighborhood of the city of
Qamishli in Syria, Ermenihaber.am reports.

According to Turkey-based Armenian newspaper Agos, the attack took
place in a restaurant on December 30, killing 16 Christian civilians
and severely wounding at least 35.

The bombs went off in the city center, near a security point run
by government troops, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists and other sources
inside Syria. It said the death toll rose to 18 after two more people
died of their wounds. Syrian SANA's toll, however, remained at 16.

The attack was presumably carried out against the Christians, who
were reportedly celebrating Christmas at the restaurant.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/203372/

[Yervant1]

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: ANKARA TRIES TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEATHS OF SYRIAN REFUGEES

19:56, 8 January, 2016

YEREVAN, JANUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Ankara seeks to escape from its own
direct responsibility for the death of many refugees from Syria.

"Armenpress" reports, citing "Ria Novosti", Russian Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced about this. Zakharova commented
on January 6 statement of the Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu,
where he claimed the Russian Federation to be responsible for the
regular deaths of refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean in boats.

"Davutoglu not only once again accused our country in "aiding the
Syrian regime", but cynically tried to shift mostly to Russia, and
the UN Security Council, the responsibility for the death of the
Syrian refugees drowning near the Turkish coasts", reads the comment
published in the website of the MFA.

"Such absurd announcements made by Ankara are nothing more than an
attempt to avoid responsibility for the death of those and many other
Syrians", Zakharova said.

[Johannes]

Syrian army liberates the strategic town of Salma northeast Latakia.