Section: Middle East Monitor (Kuwait)
Unpaid bills, empty homes: Families of Iran crash victims put lives back together
Grief-stricken relatives of passengers killed aboard an airliner shot down by Iran over Tehran last month are grappling in Canada with the daily challenges of long-distance funeral arrangements, empty homes, cars left in driveways and unpaid bills, Reuters reports. Iran admitted it shot down the Ukrainian airliner by mistake on Jan. 8, killing...
Turkey’s message to Russia is clear
At dawn on Monday, Syrian regime forces targeted a Turkish observation post in the Idlib governorate, killing eight Turkish citizens, one of them a civilian. The Turkish army responded immediately to the attack, explained Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, and bombed 54 targets belonging to the regime, killing 76 Syrian soldiers. This escalation...
Turkey’s Erdogan pledges $200m to Ukraine army
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected Russia’s annexation of Crimea and pledged to support the Ukrainian army with $200 million, Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported yesterday. The paper said the Turkish president is retaliating for the killing of seven Turkish soldiers in Syria’s Idlib by regime forces which are...
Turkey, Russia can tackle Syria escalation ‘without anger’
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday Turkey and Russia should resolve differences over the conflict in Syria’s Idlib without anger, after a deadly flare-up in violence challenged the fragile cooperation between Moscow and Ankara. The two countries support opposing sides in Syria’s nearly nine-year war, as well as in Libya’s...
Erdogan to Russia: We are addressing the Assad regime not you in Syria
Turkish President Erdogan today met his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev to discuss improving joint cooperation. Erdogan and Zelenskiy discussed how to “enhance strategic partnership and cooperation in all areas of interaction,” and attended a Ukraine-Turkey business forum. “Turkey is enhancing its strategic cooperation with...
Turkey, Ukraine to boost defence cooperation
Turkish and Ukrainian officials gathered in Ukraine’s capital to address ways to enhance strategic cooperation in the defence industry, Anadolu Agency reports. The seventh edition of Turkey-Ukraine Defense Industry Cooperation meeting was held in Kiev, where steps to be taken for armament and military equipment were discussed, according to...
‘Respect the rules’ Macron blasts Israel guard for blocking entrance to Jerusalem church
France President Macron yells at Israeli security President Emmanuel Macron was given a little taste of what it’s like to be a Palestinian living under Israel’s illegal occupation during a heated row yesterday with an Israeli guard blocking his entry to a medieval church owned by France in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of...
The effects of the downing of Ukraine flight on US-Canada relations
On 11 January, Iranian senior leaders formally apologised for their “disastrous mistake” of shooting down a commercial airliner, flight 752, allegedly confusing it for a US cruise missile. “Our profound regrets, apologies, and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations,” Iranian Foreign Minister...
Iran asks France, US for help with Ukraine plane black box
The Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation said on Monday that it had asked for technical assistance from France and the United States to help analyze data from the downed Ukranian airplane’s two black boxes, but has not received a positive response. The Iranian body explained that a request for equipment to download information from the...
In Chirac’s shadow, Macron steps into Jerusalem’s symbolism
Emmanuel Macron begins a visit to Jerusalem on Wednesday with a symbolic stop at one of France’s territories in the Holy Land aiming to avoid controversies of past presidents while underscoring Paris’ historical influence in the region. The two-day visit, which includes political meetings to discuss Iran tensions and the peace process...
