Middle East & North Africa

Erdogan: Turkey to freeze assets of 2 US secretaries

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA; 4 Aug 2018; AA; The Turkish president said Saturday they will freeze assets of the U.S. "justice and interior" secretaries in Turkey.

"I am instructing my friends today. We will freeze assets, if there are any, of the U.S. justice and interior secretaries in Turkey," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, speaking at ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's Women Branch congress in Ankara.

Speaking about the U.S. move to freeze assets of Turkish justice and interior ministers, he said: "This is not logic."

Presidential aide slams Newsweek article on Turkey

By Kubra Chohan

ANKARA; 4 Aug 2018; AA; Turkey’s presidential aide Ibrahim Kalin on Saturday called an article by U.S.-based Newsweek magazine “one of the worst pieces on Turkey”.

“PKK and Gulenist/FETO propaganda presented as facts and ideological paranoia as analysis,” Kalin said in a tweet.

He added: “Now the June 24 elections are over, is Newsweek calling for another coup attempt in Turkey?”

Russia ready to ensure return of refugees from Syrian Rukban camp

MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. Russia is ready to negotiate the issue of safely returning refugees from the Rukban camp located in the US-controlled Al-Tanf zone to their homes, with the Syrian authorities, the Defense Ministry told journalists on Saturday.

"The point at issue was that the Russian side is ready to negotiate the issue of ensuring safety for refugees from the Rukban camp located in the US-controlled Al-Tanf zone and creating required conditions for their return home, with the Syrian authorities," the ministry said.

Druze community members in Israel protest against controversial "Jewish nation-state" law in Tel Aviv

Druze community members in Israel protest against the controversial "Jewish nation-state" law at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Aug. 4, 2018.

Israel passed a bill that defines the country as an "exclusively Jewish state" on July 19. (Xinhua/JINI/Tomer Neuberg)

Erdogan sanctions US officials in tit-for-tat row over pastor

4 Aug 2018; AFP; President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said Turkey would impose sanctions on two US officials as retaliation for a similar move by Washington, hitting back in an unprecedented row between the NATO allies.

Turkey's holding of pastor Andrew Brunson on terror-related charges for almost two years has sparked one of the most intense crises between Washington and Ankara since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

Turkish policeman killed in PKK attack

By Yilmaz Kazandioglu

HAKKARI, Turkey; 4 Aug 2018; AA; A Turkish police officer was killed in an attack by the PKK terror group in the southeastern Hakkari province on Saturday.

He succumbed to his wounds in the Yuksekova State Hospital.

Earlier on Saturday, PKK terrorists detonated an improvised explosive device while the officers were passing through an area in their armored vehicle and injured nine policemen.

An operation in the area is ongoing.

Hamas leaders to meet in Gaza amid Israel truce reports

4 Aug 2018; AFP; The leadership of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas is to convene late Friday for a rare meeting, officials said, amid speculation of a long-term truce between the Gaza Strip's rulers and Israel.

The meeting comes as a Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces in clashes along the border between Gaza and Israel.

Israel intercepts second Gaza-bound activist boat

4 Aug 2018; AFP; The Israeli navy intercepted a Swedish-flagged activist boat bent on breaching its more than decade-long blockade of Gaza, the second in less than a week, the military said on Saturday.

"The ship was monitored and was intercepted in accordance with international law," the military said in a statement, before the vessel, named Freedom for Gaza and carrying 12 people, was taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

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