Turkiye may open border to Syrian region held by Assad

A Turkish official stated today that Turkiye is debating reopening a border crossing into Syrian government territory, allowing earthquake relief to be given directly to regions under President Bashar Al-control Assad after a decade of hostility.

Another passage into the Idlib province of Syria, which is controlled by the opposition, is also being considered, the official said.

After Al-Assad used force to quell an uprising against his authority in 2011, which turned into a civil war and forced millions of Syrians to flee their country, Turkiye and Syria severed diplomatic ties.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered Turkish troops into northern Syria in support of the opposition's campaign to remove Al-Assad. However, he has suggested that the two leaders could meet after almost 12 years of hostilities, and their defence ministers conducted discussions in December.

The Syrian government-controlled portion of the Mediterranean province of Latakia may be accessed via a border crossing from Turkiye's Hatay province, according to a Turkish official.

The two provinces on each side of the border were both severely affected by the large earthquake that struck on Monday and left 21,000 people dead across the two nations.

"The border gate between Yayladagi and Kasab will initially be opened. Aid sent from there can go directly to regions controlled by the Syrian government "added the official.

A further border may be opened to facilitate the delivery of supplies into the Idlib region of Syria, which is controlled by the opposition, according to the official, who had knowledge of the situation and spoke on the record.

According to the official, "discussions and planning continue to create another gate that will enable transporting relief to Idlib and allowing United Nations supplies to reach areas utterly crushed by the quake."

The sole open border crossing between Turkiye and the northwest of Syria controlled by the opposition is at Bab Al-Hawa. After the earthquake on Monday, it momentarily closed, but it opened again yesterday.

For the four million people who, according to the UN, relied on humanitarian aid before the earthquake and whose needs have only increased since it struck on Monday, entry through Bab Al-Hawa is a "lifeline."

Comments

Israeli settlers have once again attacked religious minorities in the region, this time targeting a church in East Jerusalem.

According to reports, the settlers assaulted clerics and worshippers at the Church of the Sepulchre of Saint Charbel, causing damage to the property and injuring several people. This kind of behavior is not only unacceptable but also undermines efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. Attacks on religious minorities are a direct attack on religious freedom and must be condemned by all. The Israeli authorities must take swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice and hold them accountable for their actions. It is also important to ensure the safety and protection of religious minorities and their places of worship, as guaranteed by international law. this incident is a sad reminder of the ongoing conflict in the region and the need for a comprehensive and just solution. It is up to all of us to work together to promote understanding, tolerance, and respect for different beliefs and cultures, and to build a brighter and more peaceful future for all.

Fights break out as Kurds protest the French government's denial of a terrorist attack

Following the murder of three Kurds in what is being considered to be a probable racist incident , there have been widespread protests in Paris. The fact that the authorities did not view the attack at a Kurdish centre as a terrorist act has enraged the Kurdish diaspora in Paris. A 69-year-old man opened fire on a crowd of individuals early on Friday morning at the Ahmet-Kaya centre on Rue d'Enghien in the 10th arrondissement. One of the three victims is badly injured. All of the dead were Kurdish community members who passed away both inside and outside the cultural centre. Agit Polat, a spokesman for the Kurdish centre, charged that French officials "yet again failed to safeguard us... This is a terrorist attack in our eyes, according to the AFP news agency. In the afternoon, a number of protestors, largely from the Kurdish diaspora, got into a fight with the police outside the centre and in the streets close by, throwing rocks and torching trash cans. Police use...

Verbal spat between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel judicial overhaul

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, turned down United States President Joe Biden’s suggestion that the Israeli government “walks away” from a plan to overhaul the country’s legal system. A verbal spat between the two close allies took place on Wednesday. The US President and Israeli Prime Minister exchanged a few words on judicial changes in Israel. On Tuesday, reporters asked Joe Biden about Israel’s judicial overhaul planned reforms. Biden reportedly said, “I hope he (Netanyahu) walks away from it.” He said that the Israeli government “cannot continue down this road” and urged compromise on this plan to overhaul the country’s legal system. Subsequently, the Israeli PM said that his country makes its own decisions. He reportedly said in a statement, “Israel is a sovereign country which makes its decisions by the will of its people and not based on pressures from abroad, including from the best of friends.” Netanyahu’s latest comments came a day after he de...

Newsaholic

Search This Blog