danielboon
TB Fanatic
Here We go
WAR Regional conflict brewing in the Mediterranean
- Thread starter danielboon
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- middle east
Yup. Erdogan just pushed a couple more pawns. I'm wondering though with two games going (Syria and Libya) and a couple more on hold (Cyprus, off shore oil/natural gas in the Med, Somalia (well Somalia is warming up), his attempted kibbitzing into Azerbaijan and other places, whether he's really keeping an eye on the clocks?....
jward
passin' thru
Liveuamap MiddleEast
@lummideast
·
31m
Russian warplanes target with missiles the town of Kafrnoran in the western countryside of Aleppo https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2020/20-february-russian-warplanes-target-with-missiles-the-town via
@Step_Agency
#Syria
@lummideast
·
31m
Russian warplanes target with missiles the town of Kafrnoran in the western countryside of Aleppo https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2020/20-february-russian-warplanes-target-with-missiles-the-town via
@Step_Agency
#Syria
Last edited:
jward
passin' thru
Liveuamap MiddleEast
@lummideast
13m
A car exploded in the city of Harem, north of Idlib, on the Syrian-Turkish border, and there is no information about the damages at this moment https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2020/20-february-a-car-exploded-in-the-city-of-harem-north-of via
@mohmad_rasheed
#Syria
View: https://twitter.com/lummideast/status/1230392593269301248?s=20
@lummideast
13m
A car exploded in the city of Harem, north of Idlib, on the Syrian-Turkish border, and there is no information about the damages at this moment https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2020/20-february-a-car-exploded-in-the-city-of-harem-north-of via
@mohmad_rasheed
#Syria
View: https://twitter.com/lummideast/status/1230392593269301248?s=20
jward
passin' thru
Reuters
@Reuters
20m
Turkey says its guarantees in Libya depend on durable ceasefire https://reut.rs/328n31o
---------------------------------------
World News
February 20, 2020 / 2:00 AM / Updated 2 hours ago
Turkey says its guarantees in Libya depend on durable ceasefire
Ece Toksabay
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s guarantees in Libya are dependent on a truce between warring sides being upheld, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, adding that Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar was violating the ceasefire.
Turkey backs Libya’s internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and has signed a military cooperation agreement to help it repel an offensive by Haftar’s forces in the country’s east. World powers agreed at a summit last month to halt hostilities in Libya while a political process is underway.
Speaking to state broadcaster TRT Haber, Cavusoglu said the “international system” had failed to stop clashes in Libya and that there was no determination. He said a political process in Libya could not move forward while Haftar’s attacks continue.
www.reuters.com
@Reuters
20m
Turkey says its guarantees in Libya depend on durable ceasefire https://reut.rs/328n31o
---------------------------------------
World News
February 20, 2020 / 2:00 AM / Updated 2 hours ago
Turkey says its guarantees in Libya depend on durable ceasefire
Ece Toksabay
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s guarantees in Libya are dependent on a truce between warring sides being upheld, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, adding that Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar was violating the ceasefire.
Turkey backs Libya’s internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and has signed a military cooperation agreement to help it repel an offensive by Haftar’s forces in the country’s east. World powers agreed at a summit last month to halt hostilities in Libya while a political process is underway.
Speaking to state broadcaster TRT Haber, Cavusoglu said the “international system” had failed to stop clashes in Libya and that there was no determination. He said a political process in Libya could not move forward while Haftar’s attacks continue.
Turkey says its guarantees in Libya depend on durable ceasefire
Turkey's guarantees in Libya are dependent on a truce between warring sides being upheld, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, adding that Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar was violating the ceasefire.
www.reuters.com
jward
passin' thru
Al Jazeera English
@AJEnglish
·
23h
"We are counting down, we are making our final warnings." Turkey's Erdogan threatens to launch an operation in Syria's Idlib by the end of the month https://aje.io/nytaf
---------------------------
Erdogan threatens 'imminent' Turkish operation in Syria
Turkish leader says talks with Russia over northwest Syria failed to achieve 'desired result'.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch an operation in Syria's Idlib region by the end of the month if Damascus fails to withdraw behind Turkish military positions.
"An operation in Idlib is imminent," Erdogan told his party's legislators in Parliament on Wednesday. "We are counting down, we are making our final warnings".
More:
Russia - the Syrian government's main ally in the nearly nine-year war - responded by saying any Turkish offensive against Syrian forces in Idlib would be the "worst scenario".
"If we are talking about an operation against the legitimate authorities of the Syrian Republic and armed forces of the Syrian republic this would, of course, be the worst scenario," said Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, adding Russia and Turkey were staying in contact to prevent tensions escalating further.
Ankara, which backs several rebel groups in northwest Syria, has been outraged since recent Syrian government attacks in Idlib province killed 13 Turkish military personnel in two weeks.
'No matter the cost'
Erdogan said talks with Russia over the last remaining rebel stronghold in Syria had failed to end in agreement and warned a military operation was just a "matter of time".
He said Turkey was determined to make Idlib a secure zone "no matter the cost", even as talks continue with Russia, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
"We will not leave Idlib to the [Syrian] regime, which does not understand our country's determination, and to those encouraging it," said Erdogan.
Erdogan's comments came as forces loyal to al-Assad pressed an offensive on the country's last major rebel enclave.
About 900,000 people have been forced from their homes and shelters in less than three months, including some 500,000 children, since Syrian government troops renewed the offensive on the region.
Erdogan's announcement comes a day after dire warnings by United Nations officials who warned of a humanitarian disaster in northwest Syria.
Nearly 300 civilians have been killed in attacks this year in the region, with 93 percent of the deaths caused by Syrian and Russian forces, according to the UN's human rights chief.
President al-Assad pledged this week to continue the offensive, saying the war was not yet over but a "complete victory" was in sight.
In September 2018, Turkey, Russia and Iran - the main international players in the conflict - agreed to turn Idlib province into a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression were prohibited while all sides were allowed to set up military observation posts.
However, all sides have blamed each other for violating the terms of the agreement, as multiple ceasefires last summer failed to hold.
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov told a news conference on Wednesday that Syrian government forces were upholding previous agreements on the region but also reacting to provocations. Lavrov said rebel attacks on Syrian and Russian forces in Idlib were continuing.
He also said the Russian and Turkish delegations failed to reach an agreement at talks in Moscow earlier in the week aimed at easing the tensions in Idlib.
Calls for restraint
Syrian aid workers issued an urgent call on Wednesday for a ceasefire and international help for nearly a million people fleeing the onslaught.
| Syria: The Last Assignment |
"We are facing one of the worst protection crises and are dealing with a mass movement of IDPs [internally displaced persons] who have nowhere to go," the Syrian NGO Alliance said in a statement.
They are "escaping in search of safety only to die from extreme weather conditions and lack of available resources," it added.
More than 500,000 children have been displaced by the violence, UNICEF said in a statement. Since the beginning of the year, 77 children have been killed or injured.
"The situation in the northwest is untenable, even by Syria's grim standards," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF's executive director.
"Children and families are caught between the violence, the biting cold, the lack of food and the desperate living conditions ... It is time for the guns to go silent and for the violence to stop once and for all."
Symbolic message
A Syrian commercial flight landed at Aleppo airport on Wednesday from Damascus, marking the resumption of internal flights between Syria's two largest cities for the first time since 2012.
The flight carrying Syrian officials and journalists was a symbolic message from al-Assad's government, days after its forces consolidated control over the northwestern province of Aleppo and seized the last segments of the strategic M5 highway linking Aleppo to Damascus.
The motorway between Syria's two biggest cities was being repaired and was scheduled to reopen in coming days, for the first time in eight years.
The Syrian Air flight landed at Aleppo airport after a 40-minute flight from Damascus and was received on the ground by a military band at the tarmac.
SOURCE: Al Jazeera News
danielboon
TB Fanatic
that is a really good map
jward
passin' thru
I thought so too- they really help me a lot, too, as I don't know what the heck is actually going on out there :: AOC face :: someone used to be really good at supplyin' em, but has fallen down on his job lately n been neglectin me : )~
Ragıp Soylu
@ragipsoylu
·
15m
Sources:
• Trump told Erdogan that he would sanction regime, issue strong-worded statements but nothing on military support
• Pentagon is wary to issue any support to Turkey due to last year incursion against SDF
• Interagency work is being done
View: https://twitter.com/ragipsoylu/status/1230595109982527510?s=20
Ragıp Soylu
@ragipsoylu
26m
SCOOP:
Turkey requests US conduct aerial patrols near Idlib as precaution against Syrian regime,
• The request also included Patriots to be deployed in Hatay
• Since then Trump didn’t give any indication to Erdogan that he would commit his military
View: https://twitter.com/ragipsoylu/status/1230593862353248270?s=20
Ragıp Soylu
@ragipsoylu
·
15m
Sources:
• Trump told Erdogan that he would sanction regime, issue strong-worded statements but nothing on military support
• Pentagon is wary to issue any support to Turkey due to last year incursion against SDF
• Interagency work is being done
View: https://twitter.com/ragipsoylu/status/1230595109982527510?s=20
Ragıp Soylu
@ragipsoylu
26m
SCOOP:
Turkey requests US conduct aerial patrols near Idlib as precaution against Syrian regime,
• The request also included Patriots to be deployed in Hatay
• Since then Trump didn’t give any indication to Erdogan that he would commit his military
View: https://twitter.com/ragipsoylu/status/1230593862353248270?s=20
jward
passin' thru
Turkey requests US conduct aerial patrols near Idlib as Assad's forces close in
Latest request came earlier this month as Ankara asked Washington for two batteries of Patriot missile systems to shield border area from air attacks
By
Ragip Soylu
in
Ankara
Published date: 20 February 2020 20:38 UTC
Last update: 35 min 33 sec ago
Turkey has asked the US to conduct aerial patrols in its airspace bordering the Syrian province of Idlib, to show support for Ankara's ongoing military operations against forces loyal to Damascus, a Turkish official has told Middle East Eye.
The latest request came earlier this month in the meetings with US Special Envoy James Jeffrey in Ankara, where Turkish officials asked Washington for two batteries of Patriot missile systems to shield the border area from possible air attacks, the official told MEE on condition of anonymity.
However, since the request, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held a phone call with US president Donald Trump, but the White House has not given any indications that it would provide tangible support for Turkey's operations along its southern border.
"He [Trump] promised that he would sanction the regime officials, or anyone involved in attacks against the civilians. And that he would issue strong-worded statements," the official said. "But he didn't commit himself to anything involving the military, yet."
Two Turkish soldiers killed as Syrian rebels stage assault on Idlib's Neirab
Read More »
A separate Turkish official said that Ankara is still waiting for a response from NATO to provide more support for its air defense needs.
Turkey, a backer of Syria's moderate rebels, has been forced to intervene in Idlib, a northwestern province that has become the opposition's last redoubt.
Some three million people live in the rebel-held territory, but a pro-government offensive has displaced around 900,000 people since December, pushing more refugees towards the Turkish border.
The officials in Ankara believe the US is unlikely to provide the Patriot systems without conditions, considering Turkey's deployment of Russian-made S-400s in its territory, which is sanctionable under the US law.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said late on Wednesday that Turkey would appreciate US support, which could include the deployment of Patriots. However he then added that Ankara didn't have any plans to activate the systems.
"We will get them operational in the spring. No doubt about this," he said during an interview with CNNTurk.
Fractured ties?
Several sources based in Washington told MEE that the Pentagon was wary to back Turkey in Idlib due to past frictions such as Operation Peace Spring last year which targeted the US' ally in Syria, the SDF.
"Washington would need some inter-agency discussion to come up with some aid package to Turkey in this critical time," one of the sources said.
Turkey says Idlib operation is 'imminent' as talks in Moscow falter
Read More »
A seperate Washington source said Special Envoy James Jeffrey's efforts to repair Turkish-American ties were seemingly sabotaged by Pentagon leaks, such as a revelation by the Reuters news agency earlier this month that the US had stopped sharing reconnaissance intelligence with Turkey on PKK targets in Iraq following Ankara's incursion into Syria in October.
Erdogan has threatened a full-blown assault against advancing Syrian government forces in recent days, giving Damascus until the end of February to retreat.
Backed by Russian airpower, Assad's forces have captured more than 600 square km of rebel-held territory in Idlib and Aleppo provinces since December, displacing around a million people towards the Turkish border in the process.
Anxious about the onslaught, which has killed more than 300 civilians, and a possible influx of refugees,Ankara has poured men, arms and vehicles into northwestern Syria in an attempt to stem the tide.
Despite several threats of an "imminent" counteroffensive, and Syrian regime fire this month that killed 15 Turkish soldiers, no large-scale operation has materialised.
Recommended
Two Turkish soldiers killed as Syrian rebels stage assault on Idlib's Neirab
Idlib offensive: Turkey's tradeoffs with Russia put it on the losing side
Christopher Phillips
Oxfam aid workers killed in southern Syria during aid delivery
Read more
posted for fair use
www.middleeasteye.net
Latest request came earlier this month as Ankara asked Washington for two batteries of Patriot missile systems to shield border area from air attacks
By
Ragip Soylu
in
Ankara
Published date: 20 February 2020 20:38 UTC
Last update: 35 min 33 sec ago
Turkey has asked the US to conduct aerial patrols in its airspace bordering the Syrian province of Idlib, to show support for Ankara's ongoing military operations against forces loyal to Damascus, a Turkish official has told Middle East Eye.
The latest request came earlier this month in the meetings with US Special Envoy James Jeffrey in Ankara, where Turkish officials asked Washington for two batteries of Patriot missile systems to shield the border area from possible air attacks, the official told MEE on condition of anonymity.
However, since the request, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held a phone call with US president Donald Trump, but the White House has not given any indications that it would provide tangible support for Turkey's operations along its southern border.
"He [Trump] promised that he would sanction the regime officials, or anyone involved in attacks against the civilians. And that he would issue strong-worded statements," the official said. "But he didn't commit himself to anything involving the military, yet."
Two Turkish soldiers killed as Syrian rebels stage assault on Idlib's Neirab
Read More »
A separate Turkish official said that Ankara is still waiting for a response from NATO to provide more support for its air defense needs.
Turkey, a backer of Syria's moderate rebels, has been forced to intervene in Idlib, a northwestern province that has become the opposition's last redoubt.
Some three million people live in the rebel-held territory, but a pro-government offensive has displaced around 900,000 people since December, pushing more refugees towards the Turkish border.
The officials in Ankara believe the US is unlikely to provide the Patriot systems without conditions, considering Turkey's deployment of Russian-made S-400s in its territory, which is sanctionable under the US law.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said late on Wednesday that Turkey would appreciate US support, which could include the deployment of Patriots. However he then added that Ankara didn't have any plans to activate the systems.
"We will get them operational in the spring. No doubt about this," he said during an interview with CNNTurk.
Fractured ties?
Several sources based in Washington told MEE that the Pentagon was wary to back Turkey in Idlib due to past frictions such as Operation Peace Spring last year which targeted the US' ally in Syria, the SDF.
"Washington would need some inter-agency discussion to come up with some aid package to Turkey in this critical time," one of the sources said.
Turkey says Idlib operation is 'imminent' as talks in Moscow falter
Read More »
A seperate Washington source said Special Envoy James Jeffrey's efforts to repair Turkish-American ties were seemingly sabotaged by Pentagon leaks, such as a revelation by the Reuters news agency earlier this month that the US had stopped sharing reconnaissance intelligence with Turkey on PKK targets in Iraq following Ankara's incursion into Syria in October.
Erdogan has threatened a full-blown assault against advancing Syrian government forces in recent days, giving Damascus until the end of February to retreat.
Backed by Russian airpower, Assad's forces have captured more than 600 square km of rebel-held territory in Idlib and Aleppo provinces since December, displacing around a million people towards the Turkish border in the process.
Anxious about the onslaught, which has killed more than 300 civilians, and a possible influx of refugees,Ankara has poured men, arms and vehicles into northwestern Syria in an attempt to stem the tide.
Despite several threats of an "imminent" counteroffensive, and Syrian regime fire this month that killed 15 Turkish soldiers, no large-scale operation has materialised.
Recommended
Two Turkish soldiers killed as Syrian rebels stage assault on Idlib's Neirab
Idlib offensive: Turkey's tradeoffs with Russia put it on the losing side
Christopher Phillips
Oxfam aid workers killed in southern Syria during aid delivery
Read more
posted for fair use
Turkey requests US conduct aerial patrols near Idlib as Assad's forces close in
Latest request came earlier this month as Ankara also asked Washington for two batteries of Patriot missile systems to shield border area from air attacks
www.middleeasteye.net
jward
passin' thru
Kevork Almassian
@KevorkAlmassian
5h
After capturing SAA soldier in #Idlib, this #Erdogan-backed terrorist beheaded the soldier & called his mother mocking her. I contacted SAA soldiers there, they're determined to revenge for their colleague & his mother whose heart is broken after the devastating news. #Syria
View: https://twitter.com/KevorkAlmassian/status/1231367720668667905?s=20
Kevork Almassian
@KevorkAlmassian
5h
After capturing SAA soldier in #Idlib, this #Erdogan-backed terrorist beheaded the soldier & called his mother mocking her. I contacted SAA soldiers there, they're determined to revenge for their colleague & his mother whose heart is broken after the devastating news. #Syria
View: https://twitter.com/KevorkAlmassian/status/1231367720668667905?s=20
Well that pretty much tells you all you need to know about Turkey's "partners"....
jward
passin' thru
Deven_Intel
@Deven_Intel
10h
#Turkey blocked 4 #Russia military aircraft from using Turkish Airspace to reach #Syria. Russia is deploying more assets into Syria to help #Assad capture the #Idlib province.
View: https://twitter.com/Deven_Intel/status/1231321102569201664?s=20
Russian daily newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported that Turkey has prevented four Russian military aircrafts, including two bombers, from crossing its airspace to Syria.
Field sources knowledgeable about the Russian Hmeimim Air Base, revealed on Thursday that the Russian forces brought in military reinforcements from the storage facilities of the Russian army to the airbase, in an indication that battles may intensify in north-western Syria.
The sources revealed to Al-Quds Al-Arabi the arrival of heavy shipments of modern Russian tanks and missile launchers, heavy artillery and anti-armour missiles, in addition to shipments of bombs and missiles used by Russian strategic bombers and fighters, as well as the bombs used by Sukhoi aircraft of various categories.
Read: Turkey requests US air support as fighting heats up in Idlib
Russian reinforcements also included tanks, troop carriers and mechanisms used to lift dirt berms and build fortifications, as well as defensive barriers.
The measures undertaken by the Russian forces came as tension escalates and rifts deepens between Ankara and Moscow over the developments in Idlib and the countryside of Aleppo, northern Syria, especially following the failure of technical and political negotiations between Russian officials and their Turkish counterparts.
READ: US lost track of $715m in weapons sent to anti-Daesh allies in Syria
posted for fair use
www.middleeastmonitor.com
@Deven_Intel
10h
#Turkey blocked 4 #Russia military aircraft from using Turkish Airspace to reach #Syria. Russia is deploying more assets into Syria to help #Assad capture the #Idlib province.
View: https://twitter.com/Deven_Intel/status/1231321102569201664?s=20
Russian daily newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported that Turkey has prevented four Russian military aircrafts, including two bombers, from crossing its airspace to Syria.
Field sources knowledgeable about the Russian Hmeimim Air Base, revealed on Thursday that the Russian forces brought in military reinforcements from the storage facilities of the Russian army to the airbase, in an indication that battles may intensify in north-western Syria.
The sources revealed to Al-Quds Al-Arabi the arrival of heavy shipments of modern Russian tanks and missile launchers, heavy artillery and anti-armour missiles, in addition to shipments of bombs and missiles used by Russian strategic bombers and fighters, as well as the bombs used by Sukhoi aircraft of various categories.
Read: Turkey requests US air support as fighting heats up in Idlib
Russian reinforcements also included tanks, troop carriers and mechanisms used to lift dirt berms and build fortifications, as well as defensive barriers.
The measures undertaken by the Russian forces came as tension escalates and rifts deepens between Ankara and Moscow over the developments in Idlib and the countryside of Aleppo, northern Syria, especially following the failure of technical and political negotiations between Russian officials and their Turkish counterparts.
READ: US lost track of $715m in weapons sent to anti-Daesh allies in Syria
posted for fair use
Turkey prevents 4 Russian military aircrafts from crossing into Syria
Russian daily newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported that Turkey has prevented four Russian military aircrafts, including two bombers, from crossing its airspace to Syria. Field sources knowledgeab...
www.middleeastmonitor.com
Posted for fair use.....
thearabweekly.com
Saudi Arabia seeks to contain Ankara’s regional, international pursuits through diplomacy
The deteriorating relations trickled down to aspects of Saudi-Turkish ties that once thrived — investments and tourism.
Sunday 23/02/2020
LONDON - In late January, all eyes in Ankara were on Riyadh when Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, whose visit took place amid renewed tensions with arch-rival Turkey.
Cyprus accused Turkey of ignoring international law by sending oil-and-gas drilling ships to waters off southern Cyprus where Greek Cypriot authorities had awarded hydrocarbon exploration rights to France’s Total and Italy’s Eni.
Ankara’s fears materialised after Saudi Arabia expressed full support for the Cyprus side.
“The kingdom is following with great interest the current developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region, is showing its concern for security and stability there and stresses its full support for the sovereignty of Cyprus over its territories,” Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said.
Saudi Arabia “calls on all parties to abide by and adhere to [UN] Security Council resolutions to resolve disputes, to avoid escalation, to respect the rules of international law and not to interfere in the internal affairs of states or attempts to impose the status quo by force, as that does not serve international peace, security and stability in this region.”
A Saudi statement also said the Turkish parliament’s approval of sending forces to Libya breached the Security Council resolutions and created an obstacle to international efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis.
Riyadh’s support for Cyprus and its condemnation of Ankara’s incursion in Libya are the latest chapters in a dispute between Ankara and Gulf countries that accuse Turkey of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, meddling in regional Arab affairs and backing extremists.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey once had affable relations, particularly during what has been described as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “moderate phase.” However, when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates supported popular protests and a military coup that resulted in the removal of a Muslim Brotherhood-controlled government in Egypt in 2013, Turkey was on the other side of the issue
Matters escalated in 2017 after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt — the Arab Quartet — severed ties with Turkey’s ally Qatar over what they described as support for terrorism and banned Islamic groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as its ties with Iran.
Many countries with ties to both the Arab Quartet countries and Qatar took a neutral stance. However, Ankara set up a military base in Qatar, which was interpreted as a threat by some Gulf countries.
The perceived political exploitation by the Turkish government of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, allegedly by rogue Saudi operatives, did not sit well with Saudi officials, who viewed Ankara’s display of concern as disingenuous and opportunistic, based on its record of mistreating journalists.
The deteriorating relations trickled down to aspects of Saudi-Turkish ties that once thrived — investments and tourism.
Last May, Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Chairman Ajlan Al-Ajlan warned against investments in Turkey because of Ankara’s declining economic circumstances.
“The RCCI has received several complaints from Saudi investors in Turkey who faced problems threatening their investments,” Ajlan was quoted as saying by the Saudi Gazette.
“There are instances in which Saudi owners of properties are being prevented from entering their homes and deprived of ownership deeds. There is no intervention on the part of the authorities to put an end to such harassment cases.”
The geopolitical climate has also affected tourism in Turkey.
Last summer, the Saudi Foreign Ministry warned citizens travelling to Turkey to take extra precautions, particularly from scam artists targeting tourists. Sky News Arabia reported that this was the fifth travel warning regarding Turkey issued by the Saudi government in the last year.
Additionally, Saudi media have been discouraging tourism to Turkey, with reports suggesting it is a dangerous holiday destination. Saudi social media users referenced the killing of seven Saudi nationals in Istanbul on New Year’s Eve 2017.
Saudi social media users have also called for a boycott of Turkish products.
Recently a video showing a Turkish man harassing a Saudi family went viral, renewing calls to avoid the country.
In February, the Greek government said it would be sending air defence systems to Saudi Arabia to protect Saudi oil installations, news likely to displease Turkey.
Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti signed a charter founding the Council of Arab and African Coastal States of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, a move that emphasises that Riyadh has options.
Written By Mohammed Alkhereiji
Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Arab Weekly’s Gulf section editor.
Saudi Arabia seeks to contain Ankara’s regional, international pursuits through diplomacy | Mohammed Alkhereiji | AW
In late January, all eyes in Ankara were on Riyadh when Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, whose visit took place amid renewed tensions with arch-rival Turkey.
Saudi Arabia seeks to contain Ankara’s regional, international pursuits through diplomacy
The deteriorating relations trickled down to aspects of Saudi-Turkish ties that once thrived — investments and tourism.
Sunday 23/02/2020
LONDON - In late January, all eyes in Ankara were on Riyadh when Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, whose visit took place amid renewed tensions with arch-rival Turkey.
Cyprus accused Turkey of ignoring international law by sending oil-and-gas drilling ships to waters off southern Cyprus where Greek Cypriot authorities had awarded hydrocarbon exploration rights to France’s Total and Italy’s Eni.
Ankara’s fears materialised after Saudi Arabia expressed full support for the Cyprus side.
“The kingdom is following with great interest the current developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region, is showing its concern for security and stability there and stresses its full support for the sovereignty of Cyprus over its territories,” Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said.
Saudi Arabia “calls on all parties to abide by and adhere to [UN] Security Council resolutions to resolve disputes, to avoid escalation, to respect the rules of international law and not to interfere in the internal affairs of states or attempts to impose the status quo by force, as that does not serve international peace, security and stability in this region.”
A Saudi statement also said the Turkish parliament’s approval of sending forces to Libya breached the Security Council resolutions and created an obstacle to international efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis.
Riyadh’s support for Cyprus and its condemnation of Ankara’s incursion in Libya are the latest chapters in a dispute between Ankara and Gulf countries that accuse Turkey of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, meddling in regional Arab affairs and backing extremists.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey once had affable relations, particularly during what has been described as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “moderate phase.” However, when Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates supported popular protests and a military coup that resulted in the removal of a Muslim Brotherhood-controlled government in Egypt in 2013, Turkey was on the other side of the issue
Matters escalated in 2017 after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt — the Arab Quartet — severed ties with Turkey’s ally Qatar over what they described as support for terrorism and banned Islamic groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as its ties with Iran.
Many countries with ties to both the Arab Quartet countries and Qatar took a neutral stance. However, Ankara set up a military base in Qatar, which was interpreted as a threat by some Gulf countries.
The perceived political exploitation by the Turkish government of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, allegedly by rogue Saudi operatives, did not sit well with Saudi officials, who viewed Ankara’s display of concern as disingenuous and opportunistic, based on its record of mistreating journalists.
The deteriorating relations trickled down to aspects of Saudi-Turkish ties that once thrived — investments and tourism.
Last May, Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Chairman Ajlan Al-Ajlan warned against investments in Turkey because of Ankara’s declining economic circumstances.
“The RCCI has received several complaints from Saudi investors in Turkey who faced problems threatening their investments,” Ajlan was quoted as saying by the Saudi Gazette.
“There are instances in which Saudi owners of properties are being prevented from entering their homes and deprived of ownership deeds. There is no intervention on the part of the authorities to put an end to such harassment cases.”
The geopolitical climate has also affected tourism in Turkey.
Last summer, the Saudi Foreign Ministry warned citizens travelling to Turkey to take extra precautions, particularly from scam artists targeting tourists. Sky News Arabia reported that this was the fifth travel warning regarding Turkey issued by the Saudi government in the last year.
Additionally, Saudi media have been discouraging tourism to Turkey, with reports suggesting it is a dangerous holiday destination. Saudi social media users referenced the killing of seven Saudi nationals in Istanbul on New Year’s Eve 2017.
Saudi social media users have also called for a boycott of Turkish products.
Recently a video showing a Turkish man harassing a Saudi family went viral, renewing calls to avoid the country.
In February, the Greek government said it would be sending air defence systems to Saudi Arabia to protect Saudi oil installations, news likely to displease Turkey.
Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti signed a charter founding the Council of Arab and African Coastal States of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, a move that emphasises that Riyadh has options.
Written By Mohammed Alkhereiji
Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Arab Weekly’s Gulf section editor.
jward
passin' thru
WarMonitor Retweeted
Jennifer
@JennRollins1002
Russian warplanes launched raids on the town of Kafranbel in the southern countryside of #Idlib #SaveIdlib #Syria
Jennifer
@JennRollins1002
Russian warplanes launched raids on the town of Kafranbel in the southern countryside of #Idlib #SaveIdlib #Syria
danielboon
TB Fanatic
Turkey may close the Bosphorus to Russia warships
![A war ship passes through Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey on 2 March 2019 [Şebnem Coşkun/Anadolu Agency]](https://i1.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/20190302_2_35210041_42174525.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&quality=85&strip=all&ssl=1 "A war ship passes through Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey on 2 March 2019 [Şebnem Coşkun/Anadolu Agency]")
A war ship passes through Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey on 2 March 2019 [Şebnem Coşkun/Anadolu Agency]
February 24, 2020 at 2:43 pm
| 1K SHARES |
The possible blocking of the Russian warships would halt the country’s large-scale supply of weapons and aerial power to the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad, which has been conducted throughout the Syrian civil war and Assad’s ongoing campaign to retake the north-western Idlib province.
It was suggested by the newspaper that the move would enable the Turkish military and the opposition forces that it supports in Syria to have more time to redeploy and arrange reinforcements in the country’s north-west.
READ: NATO and the UN must decide if they are standing by, or simply bystander
One week ago, Russian military expert Sergey Ishchenko commented on the prediction, warning that Turkey could do so to hinder the “functioning of Russian military bases in Khmeimim and Tartus” on the coast of western Syria. He also predicted that Turkey may even restrict Russian warplanes from flying through its airspace.
“It is only necessary for the Turks, at least for a while, to block the Black Sea passage for our ships. Then, the regular operation of the so-called ‘Syrian Express’ will be disrupted,” said Ishchenko, referring to the passage that the Russian ships usually take to provide supplies to Syria and its military.
He emphasised, however, that “Nevertheless, the Syrian Army has enough armor to deter even powerful militant attacks, and retaliatory air strikes will certainly lead to strikes on Turkish checkpoints.”
Late last week it was revealed that Turkey had prevented four Russian military aircraft from entering into Syria, stopping them from delivering supplies of military vehicles, tanks, missile launchers, heavy artillery and anti-armour missiles, in addition to shipments of bombs to be used by two bombers which were part of the Russian air convoy.
READ: The ‘Axis of Resistance’ is hypocritical, not ‘anti-imperialist’
Since the Syrian regime’s attacks on the civilians of Idlib and its killings of several Turkish soldiers this month, tensions have escalated between Turkey and Russia over the regime and its allied forces’ breaking of the agreement struck in September 2018, in which Idlib was designated a de-escalation or safe zone.
Russia has been a key ally of the Assad regime since it launched its offensive on Idlib in April last year, and has been the main factor of the regime’s rapid advance in recent months. Its campaign picked up pace following support from Russian ground troops and Iranian forces, enabling it to retake around half of Idlib province so far, including key towns and cities and the strategic M5 highway.
The escalation of violence has resulted in a humanitarian crisis in which the inhabitants of Idlib – numbering over three million – are severely lacking in proper shelter, protection, food, sanitation, healthcare and education. Almost a million of those are displaced by the regime’s bombardment and have been forced to flee their homes in the province to move further north towards the Turkish border, with the mass exodus raising fears of a new wave of refugees into Turkey and subsequently into Europe.
danielboon
TB Fanatic
danielboon
TB Fanatic
Replying to
@uawire
and
@Kostian_V
#PutinAtWar According to Syrian media, the airstrike was a response to an offensive by Turkish troops and allied militias on the town of al-Nairab in the eastern part of the province. In total 120 attacks of the Russian Air Force were carried out in Idlib province during the day.
@uawire
and
@Kostian_V
#PutinAtWar According to Syrian media, the airstrike was a response to an offensive by Turkish troops and allied militias on the town of al-Nairab in the eastern part of the province. In total 120 attacks of the Russian Air Force were carried out in Idlib province during the day.
danielboon
TB Fanatic
Will Turkey Drag America Into a ‘World War III Scenario’ With Russia?
The U.S. military is cautious about the role it is playing in Syria while the State Department is eager to step in and help Turkey as it tussles with Russia.
by Matthew Petti Follow Matthew Petti on TwitterL
Russia and Turkey are headed towards a Cold War nightmare scenario after fighting between the two major powers in Syria left two Turkish soldiers dead.
Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad is driving his forces into Idlib, the last rebel-held stronghold in Syria, with Russian support. Turkey faces a humanitarian crisis on its borders as up to two million Syrians fleeing Assad’s rule are left with nowhere else to go, and Turkish forces have entered Idlib to stop the offensive. Now, the United States is mulling over its response to the escalating tensions.
The fresh concerns about America’s role in the region come on the heels of an airstrike by either Russian or pro-Assad forces, which killed two Turkish soldiers during a rebel counter-offensive east of Idlib on Thursday. In response, the Turkish military has reportedly asked the United States to deploy anti-aircraft missiles and launch air patrols in Turkey in order to deter Russia.
“The North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] has never seen fighting of this intensity this close to the border of a member state,” said Amb. Robert Ford, the last U.S. ambassador to Syria, at a Thursday press conference at the U.S. Capitol.
The prospect of a NATO intervention in Syria has exposed fault lines between the State Department and the Defense Department over the U.S. mission in Syria. The State Department has been Turkey’s closest remaining ally in Washington after the Turkish military began using Russian anti-aircraft missiles and attacked U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led forces in northeastern Syria.
But the U.S.-led “military coalition is focused on defeating ISIS in the eastern part of Syria,” Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Myles Caggins said in a Sky News interview on Wednesday. Caggins referred to Idlib as a “magnet for terrorist groups” who are “a nuisance, a menace and a threat to civilians.”
“We continue to call on pro-regime forces to halt the offensive and allow for humanitarian efforts in the area,” he added in a later statement.
The U.S. military had earlier called for de-escalation.
“We're seeing the Russians and the Turks have come very close to having more extensive conflict in the area. We're hopeful that they will find a solution to avoid that,” said Department of Defense spokesman Jonathan Hoffman on Wednesday. “There needs to be a political settlement in Syria that will be for the best interests of the Syrian people.”
The State Department has signaled stronger support for Turkey and the Turkish-backed rebels in Idlib since Assad began his offensive in early February.
“We stand by our NATO Ally Turkey . . . and fully support Turkey’s justified self-defense actions,” declared Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after pro-Assad forces killed several Turkish peacekeepers in Idlib on February 2.
Amb. James Jeffrey, the State Department official overseeing Syrian affairs, was in Turkey on February 11, as clashes erupted in Idlib between Turkish and pro-Assad forces, killing five Turkish troops.
“Today, in Idlib, our ally Turkey's soldiers are facing a threat,” Jeffrey declared in Turkish. “We have martyrs on the ground.”
Jeffrey told Turkish television two days later that Russia, Iran, and Assad will come to the table once they “see that they’re not going to make any more [military] progress without coming into conflict with us . . . or the Israeli Air Force or Turkey.”
Additionally, two former State Department officials called for the United States to back Turkey against Russia at a Thursday press conference at the U.S. Capitol.
Wa’el Alzayat, who served under both Ford and Jeffrey, emphasized that Assad’s record of atrocities “makes whatever ISIS did pale in comparison.”
He called for “urgent action to provide political and material support to Turkish forces today who are currently serving as a last line of defense, urgent action for NATO to signal to Russia that what is happening on its border is unacceptable, and we’ll defend an ally.”
“I think it is important that the government of the United States, governments in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, meet with Turkish officials to discuss how one could establish a safe zone for Syrian civilians on the Syrian side of the Syrian-Turkish border,” Ford himself said. “The Turks can help with the safe zone from inside Turkey, but because they’re facing Russia, they will need help from the United States.”
Ford emphasized to the National Interest that he is not calling for U.S. forces to deploy in Syria itself, adding that a U.S. incursion into Idlib with “combat air patrols” could mean a “World War III scenario.”
U.S. forces are already deployed to northeastern Syria alongside Kurdish-led counterterrorism forces. They reportedly killed a local man during a clash with a pro-Assad militia on February 12, and nearly ran a Russian military vehicle off the road in a confrontation on Wednesday.
“The Coalition’s goal is to de-escalate any unplanned encounters with other forces operating in northeastern Syria,” Caggins told the Military Times after Wednesday’s incident.
nationalinterest.org
The U.S. military is cautious about the role it is playing in Syria while the State Department is eager to step in and help Turkey as it tussles with Russia.
by Matthew Petti Follow Matthew Petti on TwitterL
Russia and Turkey are headed towards a Cold War nightmare scenario after fighting between the two major powers in Syria left two Turkish soldiers dead.
Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad is driving his forces into Idlib, the last rebel-held stronghold in Syria, with Russian support. Turkey faces a humanitarian crisis on its borders as up to two million Syrians fleeing Assad’s rule are left with nowhere else to go, and Turkish forces have entered Idlib to stop the offensive. Now, the United States is mulling over its response to the escalating tensions.
The fresh concerns about America’s role in the region come on the heels of an airstrike by either Russian or pro-Assad forces, which killed two Turkish soldiers during a rebel counter-offensive east of Idlib on Thursday. In response, the Turkish military has reportedly asked the United States to deploy anti-aircraft missiles and launch air patrols in Turkey in order to deter Russia.
“The North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] has never seen fighting of this intensity this close to the border of a member state,” said Amb. Robert Ford, the last U.S. ambassador to Syria, at a Thursday press conference at the U.S. Capitol.
The prospect of a NATO intervention in Syria has exposed fault lines between the State Department and the Defense Department over the U.S. mission in Syria. The State Department has been Turkey’s closest remaining ally in Washington after the Turkish military began using Russian anti-aircraft missiles and attacked U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led forces in northeastern Syria.
But the U.S.-led “military coalition is focused on defeating ISIS in the eastern part of Syria,” Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Myles Caggins said in a Sky News interview on Wednesday. Caggins referred to Idlib as a “magnet for terrorist groups” who are “a nuisance, a menace and a threat to civilians.”
“We continue to call on pro-regime forces to halt the offensive and allow for humanitarian efforts in the area,” he added in a later statement.
The U.S. military had earlier called for de-escalation.
“We're seeing the Russians and the Turks have come very close to having more extensive conflict in the area. We're hopeful that they will find a solution to avoid that,” said Department of Defense spokesman Jonathan Hoffman on Wednesday. “There needs to be a political settlement in Syria that will be for the best interests of the Syrian people.”
The State Department has signaled stronger support for Turkey and the Turkish-backed rebels in Idlib since Assad began his offensive in early February.
“We stand by our NATO Ally Turkey . . . and fully support Turkey’s justified self-defense actions,” declared Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after pro-Assad forces killed several Turkish peacekeepers in Idlib on February 2.
Amb. James Jeffrey, the State Department official overseeing Syrian affairs, was in Turkey on February 11, as clashes erupted in Idlib between Turkish and pro-Assad forces, killing five Turkish troops.
“Today, in Idlib, our ally Turkey's soldiers are facing a threat,” Jeffrey declared in Turkish. “We have martyrs on the ground.”
Jeffrey told Turkish television two days later that Russia, Iran, and Assad will come to the table once they “see that they’re not going to make any more [military] progress without coming into conflict with us . . . or the Israeli Air Force or Turkey.”
Additionally, two former State Department officials called for the United States to back Turkey against Russia at a Thursday press conference at the U.S. Capitol.
Wa’el Alzayat, who served under both Ford and Jeffrey, emphasized that Assad’s record of atrocities “makes whatever ISIS did pale in comparison.”
He called for “urgent action to provide political and material support to Turkish forces today who are currently serving as a last line of defense, urgent action for NATO to signal to Russia that what is happening on its border is unacceptable, and we’ll defend an ally.”
“I think it is important that the government of the United States, governments in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, meet with Turkish officials to discuss how one could establish a safe zone for Syrian civilians on the Syrian side of the Syrian-Turkish border,” Ford himself said. “The Turks can help with the safe zone from inside Turkey, but because they’re facing Russia, they will need help from the United States.”
Ford emphasized to the National Interest that he is not calling for U.S. forces to deploy in Syria itself, adding that a U.S. incursion into Idlib with “combat air patrols” could mean a “World War III scenario.”
U.S. forces are already deployed to northeastern Syria alongside Kurdish-led counterterrorism forces. They reportedly killed a local man during a clash with a pro-Assad militia on February 12, and nearly ran a Russian military vehicle off the road in a confrontation on Wednesday.
“The Coalition’s goal is to de-escalate any unplanned encounters with other forces operating in northeastern Syria,” Caggins told the Military Times after Wednesday’s incident.
Will Turkey Drag America Into a ‘World War III Scenario’ With Russia?
The U.S. military is cautious about the role it is playing in Syria while the State Department is eager to step in and help Turkey as it tussles with Russia.
nationalinterest.org
Ractivist
Pride comes before the fall.....Pride month ended.
Off topic, or not. Walking into Home Depot yesterday I passed a muslim with the rag wrapped around his head, full beard. Would not look at me, purposely looked to the side the whole time. Taliban look. Heads up, they are amongst us, in numbers to be effective.
Zagdid
Veteran Member
Saudi Arabia steps up role in Libya
Saudi Arabia is reported to be providing greater financing to forces associated with Libyan strongman Khalifa Hifter in order to counter Turkey's intervention on the side of Libya's Government of National Accord.
www.al-monitor.com
Saudi Arabia steps up role in Libya
fair use Samuel Ramani February 24, 2020
Saudi Arabia is stepping up its support for Libyan National Army chieftain Khalifa Hifter and its role as a potential power broker in a political settlement in Libya. The kingdom and the United Arab Emirates are both concerned about Turkey’s growing engagement in Libya, which includes the deployment of Syrian mercenaries to prop up the UN-recognized Government of National Accord.
Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in Libya is evident in both the diplomatic and military spheres. On Jan. 13, Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum traveled to Riyadh to discuss Libya’s peace process, and Libya’s UN Ambassador Taher el-Sonni met with Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Abdullah al-Muallami, Jan. 18 to discuss the conflict resolution process. On Jan. 24, the French newspaper Le Monde reported that Saudi Arabia provided financial assistance to the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization that deploys mercenaries to support Hifter’s forces.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry has not directly addressed the Le Monde allegations, but its official statements have emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s involvement in Libya is focused on achieving a political solution. Saudi officials have regularly asserted that Riyadh “stands at equal distance from all Libyan parties,” which aligns with its broader adherence to “restraint, calm and dialogue” in regional conflicts. Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir also noted that Riyadh is in communication with both Hifter and Government of National Accord Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on the importance of a peace settlement in Libya.
Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in Libya deviates markedly from its prior cautious support for Hifter and disengaged attitude toward the diplomatic process. Since the start of Hifter’s Tripoli campaign, the UAE has supplied military equipment to the Libyan National Army and regularly participated in diplomatic negotiations on ending Libya’s protracted conflict. Saudi Arabia assumed a less visible role in Libya than the UAE, but reportedly pledged tens of millions of dollars in financial assistance to the Libyan National Army immediately prior to Hifter’s offensive.
Saudi Arabia’s increasingly assertive conduct in Libya can be explained by its desire to counter Turkey’s military intervention in support of the Government of National Accord and establish a long-term diplomatic foothold in Libya. Saudi Arabia views Ankara’s military assistance to the Government of National Accord, which coincided with Turkey’s joint gas exploration operations in the eastern Mediterranean, as a threat to regional stability. In order to demonstrate its solidarity with Egypt, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading allies in the Arab world, and highlight its opposition to Turkish conduct, Riyadh has deepened its alliance with Hifter.
To explain Saudi Arabia’s tightened relationship with Hifter, Salman al-Ansari, the founder of the Saudi American Public Relation Affairs Committee, told Al-Monitor that Saudi Arabia “surely is very concerned about Turkish meddling in the affairs of Arab nations,” and that the Libyan National Army controls “more than 90% of Libya’s territory and is backed by democratically elected parliament members.” Hamdan Al-Shehri, a Riyadh-based geopolitical analyst, told Al-Monitor that Saudi Arabia views Hifter’s decision to request assistance from Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE as a positive contrast with Sarraj’s courtship of support from Turkey, a non-Arab country. Shehri said Saudi Arabia wanted to stand by a fellow Arab country and that Riyadh’s stance on Libya resembles its prior opposition to Iran’s interference in Yemen and Syria.
Saudi Arabia has not just alleged provided financial support to the Libyan National Army and the Wagner Group as Saudi diplomats and media outlets have aided Hifter’s cause by actively delegitimizing Turkey’s military intervention in Libya. On Jan. 4, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said Turkey's conduct in Libya was “violating international principles of sovereignty,” and on Jan. 9, the Muslim World League claimed that Ankara was using its support for the Government of National Accord as a pretext to occupy Libya’s territory. In a veiled reference to Turkey, Muallami told the UN Security Council on Jan. 23 that “foreign interference in the Libyan issue led to the movement of extremist fighters to Libya,” and urged the UN to support the preservation of Libya’s territorial integrity.
Saudi media coverage of Turkey’s military intervention in Libya has reinforced these narratives and emphasized the negative implications of Ankara’s conduct. A Feb. 4 story in the Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat linked declining revenues in western Libya’s commercial ports to Turkey’s smuggling of weapons and mercenaries. Saudi media outlets have also drawn parallels between Turkey’s conduct in Libya and Iran’s actions in Syria. Mohammed al-Sulami, the director of Riyadh’s International Institute for Iranian Studies, recently said that Turkey’s deployment of neo-Ottoman mercenaries to Libya resembled Iran’s use of Shiite extremist foot soldiers in Syria. Salman al-Dossary, the former editor-in-chief of Asharq al-Awsat, concurred with this view by stating that Turkey was “cloning Iranian militias,” and warned that much like Iranian proxies, Turkish-backed militias “will turn on themselves if they no longer have anything to eat up.”
Although the hardening of Saudi Arabia’s support for Hifter was triggered by Turkey’s military intervention in Libya, some Turkish and Libyan analysts have raised concerns about Saudi Arabia’s efforts to create a sphere of influence in Libya. This trepidation stems from Saudi Arabia’s alignment with the Madkhali Salafi movement, which has formed pro-Hifter militias that adhere to an ultraconservative interpretation of Islam. Tanzut Oztas, a security specialist at the TRT World Research Center, contends that Saudi Arabia is attempting to create a coalition between Madkhalis and Salafi groups in Misrata, which would ensconce Saudi Arabia as a major geopolitical stakeholder in Libya.
Although the UAE remains Hifter’s primary ally in the Arab world, Saudi Arabia’s importance as a patron of the Libyan National Army and opponent of Turkish involvement in Libya has grown in recent weeks. If Turkey continues its military intervention in Libya, Saudi Arabia will likely expand its support for Hifter’s forces and pressure its Western partners to moderate Ankara’s conduct. While the effectiveness of Saudi Arabia’s anti-Turkish containment strategy remains unclear, Riyadh hopes that Turkey’s travails in the Syrian province of Idlib will convince Ankara to scale back its intervention in Libya.
jward
passin' thru
ELINT News Retweeted
أطباء بلا حدود سوريا
@MSF_Syria
#BREAKING #Idlib – reported bombing or shelling on schools sheltering displaced families, north of Idlib city.
@MSF
-supported hospitals reporting many dead & wounded. Outrageous.
---------------------------
ELINT News Retweeted
Vivian Salama
@vmsalama
21m
Syria: 10 schools hit by airstrikes & ground attack in Idlib, 21 civilians killed: At least 21 civilians, incl. 9 kids & 3 teachers, were killed when 10 schools & a hospital were hit by “airstrikes and ground attacks” in Idlib,the Union of Medical Care & Relief Organizations said
أطباء بلا حدود سوريا
@MSF_Syria
#BREAKING #Idlib – reported bombing or shelling on schools sheltering displaced families, north of Idlib city.
@MSF
-supported hospitals reporting many dead & wounded. Outrageous.
---------------------------
ELINT News Retweeted
Vivian Salama
@vmsalama
21m
Syria: 10 schools hit by airstrikes & ground attack in Idlib, 21 civilians killed: At least 21 civilians, incl. 9 kids & 3 teachers, were killed when 10 schools & a hospital were hit by “airstrikes and ground attacks” in Idlib,the Union of Medical Care & Relief Organizations said
Last edited:
jward
passin' thru
Liveuamap MiddleEast
@lummideast
7m
Warplanes bombard the city of Binnish in the eastern Idlib countryside https://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2020/26-february-warplanes-bombard-the-city-of-binnish-in-the via
@ufuk_sy
#Syria
View: https://twitter.com/lummideast/status/1232585364164005888?s=20