Syria
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World Bank says earthquake caused direct damage of $5.1 bn in Syria
A massive earthquake and aftershocks in February caused an estimated $5.1 billion in direct physical damage in Syria, the World Bank said on Friday, Agence France-Presse reported.
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Earthquake killed more than 50,000 in Turkey, Syria: new toll
Devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria killed more than 50,000 people, in a toll revised by Agence France-Presse that includes figures from both government and rebel-controlled parts of war-torn Syria.
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22 died in cholera outbreak post-quake in northwest Syria
The Syrian opposition-run civil defense said on Tuesday 22 people had died from an outbreak of cholera in the northwestern region in the aftermath of the devastating quake that hit Turkey and Syria, Esta Media Network reported.
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Syrian foreign minister rejects normal ties with Turkey without end to occupation
Syrian foreign minister Faisal Mekdad said on Saturday that Turkey would have to end its military presence in his country to achieve a full rapprochement, Reuters reported.
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US would Continue its support to Syrian Kurdish-Arab forces - Centcom
The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announced that the Syrian Kurdish-Arab forces are the only capable force in northern Syria to fight the ISIS and the United States is committed to continue supporting this force.
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Iranian president to visit Syria, Turkey amid talks of normalization
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is slated to visit Turkey as well as Syria following an invitation from both countries, a foreign ministry spokesperson has said on Monday, adding that the plans are being finalized.
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People in Kobani are fearful of ISIS resurgence
Locals in the Syrian Kurdish city of Kobani voice fears of a possible return by the Islamic State (ISIS) to the region after its sleeper cells attacked a security center held by the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) in the city of Raqqa on December 26 in which two fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and four members of the Asayish were killed, according to a statement released by Asayish.
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Erdogan calls for 'concrete steps' in Syria during call with Putin
President Erdogan tells his Russian counterpart Putin that the Syrian government needs to be "constructive" for "concrete results" in Syria.
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Tears and anger at Paris funeral for Kurdish shooting victims
Thousands of Kurds from across Europe traveled to the Paris suburbs Tuesday for the politically charged funeral of three of their own killed in a December attack in the French capital, Agence France-Presse reported.
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PUK President, PYD co-leaders hold meeting in Rojava
President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Bafel Talabani discussed the “Unity of Kurds” with the co-leader of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), Salih Muslim and Asya Abdulla, in Syria’s Rojava on Wednesday.
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Moscow welcomes Erdogan's proposal for trilateral summit with Syria, Russia
Russia welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's proposal for the participation of Russia, Turkey and Syria in a trilateral summit, Russian news agency Interfax reported, citing Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov on Friday.
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Turkey’s economic growth loses steam as elections near / Mustafa Sonmez
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has persistently prioritized economic growth but might face the risk of stagnation ahead of Turkey's crucial elections next year.
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SDF commander warns against Turkey-Syria normalization
Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Mazloum Abdi warned against a comprehensive normalization between Turkey and Syria, Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Tuesday.
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Syrian Kurds welcome U.S. mediation to open border crossing with Kurdistan Region
On Tuesday, Kurdish politicians welcomed an initiative launched by the U.S. for mediation to open the Semalka border crossing between Syria and the Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI).
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Turkish election the keyword for Erdogan's normalization with Assad
The pragmatism of decision-makers in Ankara surprised most observers of Turkish-Syrian relations. Normalization between the Turkish president and the president of the Syrian regime was not something that would have come to mind only months ago. The expectations were that the contacts would remain on an indirect intelligence level mediated by Moscow or Tehran, or at best a direct security contact.
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Syrian opposition launches program to teach Kurdish language in Aleppo
Syrian Kurds in the areas of the Syrian opposition welcomed the decision to launch a program to teach the Kurdish language at the opposition-affiliated Free Aleppo University in the city of Azaz.
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Kurds ask US to not to leave Syria
The representative of the Syrian Democratic Council in Washington has asked the United States not to leave the Syrian Kurds alone for the sake of the interests of this country.
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Turkish forces continue to expand their influence in large areas of Kurdistan Region: PUK member
A senior member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK0 emphasized that Turkish forces continue to expand their influence in large areas in the Kurdistan Region.
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UN envoy urges Kurdish parties in Syria to engage in dialogue
US State Department Special Envoy to Syria Nicholas Granger is urging Kurdish parties to return to intra-Kurdish talks and resolve outstanding contentious issues between them.
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Erdogan says failed coup was ‘gift from God’
On July 15, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “celebrated” the sixth anniversary of a failed military coup — “a major victory” that presumably protected the Turkish constitution and its democracy.
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Iraqi president Salih says Iran is a major actor in Middle East
Iraq’s President Barham Salih said that Iran is a major actor in the Middle East that has a lot of commonalities with Iraq.
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Erdogan's game with NATO over Finland and Sweden: what he really wants / Melik Kaylan
Everyone's wondering what on earth Erdogan is up to – first he impedes the NATO accession of Finland and Sweden, then he gives the go-ahead after apparently winning concessions on Kurdish terror allegedly hatched by expat Kurds in those countries. Or so it seems. The same Erdogan who defied Russia by selling those devastating drones to Ukraine. Is he pro-West or pro-Moscow? What's his game? He manifestly used the Finland/Sweden accession issue as bargaining leverage. What does he really hope to squeeze from NATO? For the answers, you won't get any real help from authentic Turkish pundits trotted out by big news orgs like the BBC. If they're based in Turkey, they can't be too candid for fear of being persecuted under Erdogan's repressive anti-media laws. And the on-site foreign reporters aren't much better since their HUMINT contacts are watched and the news media they read locally is muzzled.
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Why Turkey is Syria’s biggest threat / Sinam Mohamad
To maintain hard fought progress in Syria, preventing Turkish aggression against Syria’s Kurds is paramount.
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Turkey contributed to Yazidi genocide - report
An investigation launched by a group of prominent human rights lawyers said that Turkey should face charges in front of the international court of justice for being complicit in acts of genocide against the Yazidi people, the Guardian reported.
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Turkey in northern Syria
Turkey’s preparations for a further military campaign in northern Syria are intended to shore up President Erdogan’s popularity at home.
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US to open limited foreign investment in northern Syria
The US will allow limited foreign investment in parts of Syria that are not under the control of the Syrian government, the acting secretary of state, Victoria Nuland, said on Wednesday, May 11.
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Syrian coalition and Kurdish forces attack oil-rich area east of Deir ez-Zor - report
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the coalition against ISIS and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have launched a special operation to detain suspects in the oil-rich Ziban region east of Deir ez-Zor.
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Peshmerga rescued three US, US fighters from PKK in Shingal
Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) has said that the Peshmerga forces have rescued three foreign nationals from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Shingal, Ninewa province.
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Russia says next Astana meeting on Syria to be held late May
Special Russian Presidential Representative for the Middle East and African Countries said that next international meeting on Syria in the Astana format is planned for the end of May in Nur-Sultan, capital of Kazakhstan.
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Is Turkey behind border wall, Iraqi deployment in Sinjar? / Fehim Tastekin
Baghdad’s military moves in Sinjar, coinciding with a Turkish military operation in northern Iraq, and the construction of a wall along the border with Syria have rekindled fears among the local Yazidi population.