Turkey for the month of September 2017 ....

Erdogan's downfall will be lovely to watch. 

Berlin may further ‘rethink’ ties with Ankara
 after new detentions of Germans in Turkey – Merkel
 Two German citizens were detained in Turkey under unknown circumstances this week, prompting Chancellor Angela Merkel to announce that Berlin should "react decisively" this time and further “reconsider” ties with Ankara.

Merkel's main rival in the upcoming elections, Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Martin Schulz said this must be done in days rather than weeks.......

Turk-only access to Dherynia beach a ‘shameful’ policy

The bicommunal group #UniteCyprusNow on Monday slammed the opening of Dherynia beach close to the fenced-off town of Varosha in Famagusta only to Turkish Cypriots and Turkish nationals.

“The recent opening of a beach in Dherynia to just Turkish Cypriots and Turkish citizens is ethnic separation and a violation of human rights and freedoms,” the group said in an announcement.

Turkish Cypriot newspaper Yeni Duzen reported on Monday the beach had been opened to the public but would still be under the control of Turkish security forces who had signed a “protocol” with the ‘Famagusta municipality’.....

Merkel crushes Turkey’s hopes to join the EU any time soon—if ever

German chancellor Angela Merkel killed Turkey’s hopes of becoming a member of the European Union any time soon. In a crucial TV debate against her rival Martin Schulz on German networks, she said “the fact is clear that Turkey should not become an EU member.”

However, she added that she didn’t want to break off diplomatic relations with the country, even if she wants to reject Turkey’s EU membership bid. Her hardline views on Turkey and the EU actually helped her to become victorious at the end of the debate:....

Turkish Military Kills 99 Kurdish Militants

Six soldiers were killed and 17 others were wounded during the operations.

Turkish security forces have killed 99 Kurdish militants, including a high-ranking one, in operations in southeast Turkey over the last two weeks, according to Ankara officials.
Security forces targeted outposts and caves used by the militants for shelter and storage in the southeastern provinces of Sirnak and Hakkari, near the Iraqi border, the military said in a statement.

“Ninety-nine terrorists have been neutralized. One is in the so-called leading ranks,” it said....

Turkey issues travel warning for Germany ahead of vote

Turkish citizens should 'be careful' in Germany ahead of elections later in September, Turkey's foreign ministry says.
Turkey has told its citizens visiting or living in Germany to "be careful"  and keep their composure against "racist and xenophobic slurs" ahead of the country's upcoming federal elections.....

Turkey sends military vehicles, equipment to Syrian border: Anadolu
Merkel vows to restrict trade with Turkey over arrests
Germany will have no choice but to restrict its economic ties with Turkey to pressure its NATO partner into releasing German citizens it imprisoned on political grounds, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in remarks published on Saturday.

Relations between the two countries are strained by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s crackdown on opponents after a failed coup last year. Germany and its partners in the European Union say the crackdown undermines democracy. 



 Turkey sent 80 military vehicles including tanks to its southern border with Syria, the state-run Anadolu news agency said on Sunday.

Citing a military source, Anadolu said the deployment was part of reinforcements for troops stationed along the border. The vehicles were sent to the Iskendurun district of the southeastern province of Hatay, Anadolu said.

Late on Saturday, Anadolu also reported that the army had dispatched first aid trucks and military vehicles to the same location, along with heavy equipment. .....

Erdogan slams US for ‘arming terrorists’ after Washington cancels $1.2mn Turkey weapons deal 

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to Washington's decision to pull out of a $1.2 million arms deal for his security guards, accusing the White House of instead choosing to supply weapons to terrorists in Syria.

In an interview with PBS on Monday, Erdogan referred to Syrian Kurds as "terrorists," saying "we need to fight these terrorists with the United States." ...

Turkish Parliament approves motion to extend military mandate in Iraq and Syria
 for one year on Saturday.

The parliament convened in an extraordinary session to approve the mandate, which was valid until Oct. 30.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim held a brief meeting with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kiliçdaroglu and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli during an extraordinary parliamentary session over military mandate for Iraq on Saturday....

5 PKK members detained in U.S. for mayhem during Erdogan speech

Five members of the PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the Democratic Union Party's (PYD) armed wing the People's Protection Units (YPG), were detained in New York for attempting to disturb President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's speech during the Turkish-American National Steering Committee's (TASC) Meeting with Turkish American and American Muslim Societies program in New York....

Turkish jets hit PKK positions in northern Iraq

Military says terrorist targets in northern Iraq destroyed in airstrikes on Friday
Airstrikes on PKK bases in northern Iraq on Friday destroyed arms dumps and shelters, the military said in a statement.

The airstrikes targeted the northern Iraq's Avasin-Basyan and Hakurk regions, according to Saturday's statement on the Turkish Armed Forces’ website.

No further detail was given about the timing of the operation but all aircraft returned safely....

Barzani-PKK alliance backed by US, Israel to attack Anatolia

The PKK and Barzani alliance, backed by the US and Israel, aims to attack Turkey after Iraq and Syria
The next target of the Barzani and Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) alliance, which divided Iraq and Syria using the U.S. and Israel, is Anatolia. Barzani, who organized a referendum on Sept. 25 for an allegedly independent “Kurdistan” that would in reality be deeply tied to the U.S. and Israel, conducted the “Yes” campaign with maps that portrayed a divided Turkey.

Barzani, who had no objection to the Israeli flags waved at rallies and demonstrations, did not oppose Peshmerga forces carrying the Israeli flag......

Turkey's Erdogan links fate of detained U.S. pastor to wanted cleric Gulen

President Tayyip Erdogan suggested on Thursday that Turkey could free a detained U.S. pastor if the United States handed over a Muslim cleric living in Pennsylvania whom Ankara has blamed for a failed military coup last year, an idea that Washington appeared to dismiss.

Turkey has been seeking the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Erdogan whose supporters are blamed for trying to overthrow Erdogan’s government in July 2016. ....