Persian Realm

Nato mulls Turkey's missile plea

Nato says it is considering a request by Turkey to deploy Patriot anti-missile systems to protect its border with conflict-torn Syria.

Turkey tries ex-Israeli commanders in absentia

A Turkish court is to try in absentia four former Israeli commanders over the deadly raid of a Turkish aid boat trying to break the blockade of Gaza in 2010.

Turkey's press continues to feel pressure from the state

Writers blocked (bbc)

Why being a reporter in Turkey can put you in prison

Turkey has put more journalists in jail than any other country, thanks to strict laws which punish dissent against the state. Critics says the state is stifling free speech, while the government says it is curbing propaganda by Kurdish separatists. Is the treatment of reporters hurting Turkey's chances of joining the EU?

How long can Turkey keep mosque and state separate?

Is Turkey's secular system in danger? (bbc)

By Arash Dabestani, Pinar Sevinclidir and Ertugrul Erol

Those who founded the Republic in 1923 might well be turning in their graves: their vision of Turkey as a strictly secularist and nationalist state - not just a separation of state and religion, but also the removal of religion from all aspects of public life - is being questioned.

Turkey 'cracking down' on press freedom

An international media watchdog group has accused Turkey of waging "one of the world's biggest anti-press campaigns in recent history".

The Committee to Protect Journalists says it has identified 61 journalists imprisoned because of their work - more than in any other country in the world.

Those detained face charges including terrorism and denigrating Turkishness.

Turkey claims most of the detainees are being held for crimes that have nothing to do with journalism.

Turkey tries pianist Fazil Say for insulting Islam

World-famous Turkish pianist Fazil Say appears in court in Istanbul charged with inciting hatred and insulting the values of Muslims over tweets he wrote mocking radical Islam.

Russia-Syria plane carried 'ammunition' say's Turkey PM

Syria plane 'carried ammunition' (bbc)

The Syrian plane forced to land in Turkey was carrying Russian-made equipment and ammunition destined for Syria's defence ministry, says Turkey's 

Russian anger at Turkey over Syria plane interception

Plane interception angers Russia (bbc)

Moscow accuses Turkey of endangering Russian lives by using its military to force a Syria-bound passenger plane to land in Ankara

Turkey releases Syrian plane

Turkey releases Syrian plane (cnn)

Syrian plane intercepted in Turkey had 'illegal cargo'

Syrian plane had 'illegal cargo' (bbc)

Turkey says a Syrian passenger plane carried "illegal cargo" over its airspace, heightening tension between the neighbouring countries.

Turkey intercepts Syrian plane

Turkey intercepts Syrian plane (bbc)

Turkish fighter jets force a Syrian passenger plane, suspected of carrying weapons, to land at Ankara airport, state media report.

Turkey steps up warning to Syria

Turkey steps up warning to Syria (bbc)

Turkey's top military commander warns Syria that it will respond with greater force if it continues its cross-border shelling.

Erdogan: 'worst case scenario' in Syria is becoming a reality

Turkey: 'Worst case scenario' in Syria becoming reality (cnn)

(CNN) -- Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Monday that "worst case scenarios" are becoming a reality in neighboring Syria over its 19-month civil war -- which has spilled over into border clashes between the two nations -- and that it "absolutely cannot" continue.

• NEW: Death toll climbs to at least 165, including 40 in Aleppo
• NEW: Opposition leader enters Syria, meets with members of Free Syrian Army
• Security forces eliminate a number of terrorists during an attack, the government says
• An explosion rocks Damascus, followed by heavy gunfire, opposition groups say

Turkey warns Syria future attacks 'will be silenced'

Syria and Turkey clash again (cnn)

(CNN) -- Residents of a Turkish border town hid inside their homes Saturday after three Syrian shells landed inside Turkey in separate incidents amid fierce fighting in Syria.

The shelling prompted Turkish forces to return fire as clashes between the two neighbors entered a fourth day, according to government and semi-official media reports.

As Turkish forces deployed along the border, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned that "any future attack on Turkey from anywhere will be silenced," according to the semi-official Anadolu Agency news service.

• NEW: At least 105 dead from fighting inside Syria, says an opposition group
• Third shell falls in Turkish territory, semi-official news service says
• As troops deploy, foreign minister warns future attacks "will be silenced"
• Deadline nears for Iranians held by Syrian rebels

Turkey 'in new Syria retaliation'

Turkey 'in new Syria retaliation' (bbc)

Turkey's military returns fire after a Syrian mortar round again lands on Turkish soil, television channels say.

Jeremy Bowen's take on the Turkish Warning to Syria !

Jeremy Bowen

BBC Middle East editor

Turkey has sent a strong signal to the Assad regime in Damascus, warning that any more attacks on its people would carry severe consequences. The parliamentary vote approving military operations outside Turkish territory gives the government in Ankara what it needs to make deterrence credible. The Turks believe the apology from Damascus shows the message has been received.

Turkey has already taken sides in Syria's civil war, supporting the armed rebellion and calling for the end of the Damascus regime. It's clear that any military moves it made would benefit the rebels. Given Turkey's considerable military power, and membership of Nato, it would be a huge strategic blunder for Syria to provoke the Turks any further.

That doesn't mean it won't happen. The border area is tense, and the main supply route for the rebels. There's a lot of scope for miscalculation - and escalation.

Turkey 'will not start Syria war'

Turkey 'will not start Syria war' (bbc)

Turkey's PM says his country has no intention of starting a war, after the parliament in Ankara authorised military action inside Syria.

Turkey's parliament authorises military action in Syria

Turkey approves action in Syria (bbc)

Turkey's parliament has authorised troops to cross into Syria, if required by the government.

The decision followed an emergency session in response to a government request for the military action, after two women and three children were killed in a border town by Syrian shelling.

The vote was passed 320-129.

Turkey has been firing at targets inside Syria, in retaliation for the deaths on Wednesday. 

Turkish media fear consequences

Turkish media fear consequences (bbc)

The press in Turkey has been expressing concern that artillery strikes on Syria, launched after a Syrian mortar bomb killed five Turkish citizens on Wednesday, could drag the country into a conflict with unpredictable consequences.

"They want us to make war," the centre-right Aksam newspaper declared on its front page.

An article in the prominent pro-secular daily Milliyet said that war should be considered as "one of the last cards". 

Turkey renews strikes on Syria

Turkey renews strikes on Syria (bbc)

Turkish artillery hits targets inside Syria in response to deadly cross-border shelling, with unconfirmed reports that Syrian troops have been killed.

Turkey hits targets inside Syria

Turkey hits targets inside Syria (bbc)

Turkey targets positions inside Syria in response to the deaths of five people killed by Syrian shells in a Turkish border town.

Turkey seeks Syria action

Turkey seeks Syria action (bbc, Video)

Ahmet Davutoglu told the BBC's Jeremy Bowen: "If we do not take certain decisions today... we will be facing more risks in the future"

The UN's failure to agree a way to deal with the worsening civil war in Syria has dominated the diplomatic week at the General Assembly in New York. 

Syrian shell kills five in Turkey

Syrian shell kills five in Turkey(bbc)

 NEW

Turkey contacts the UN and Nato after Syrian shells kill five people in a Turkish town near the border between the two countries.

Turkish party 'model for Muslims' say's Erdogan

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has said his ruling political party has become a model for others to follow in Muslim states.

He was addressing a congress of the AKP, the Islamist-rooted party which has dominated Turkey for a decade.

The presidents of Egypt and Kyrgyzstan were among the guests in Ankara.

It has presided over strong economic growth and a more assertive foreign policy, combining economic liberalism with religious conservatism.

Turkey FM: War risk worth taking for Syria safe zones

'Risk worth taking' (bbc)

Turkish FM tells BBC safe zones in Syria should be chanced

At least four killed in Turkey blast

At least four killed in Turkey blast (cnn)

CNN) -- At least four people, including three soldiers, were killed on Tuesday in a blast that struck a military truck as it traveled along a road in Turkey's southeastern Tunceli province, according to local officials and state media.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. However, suspicion within Turkey is likely to fall on Kurdish militants. 

Syrian mortars strike Turkey villages

Syrian mortars strike Turkey villages (cnn)

CNN) -- The chaos in Syria has once again spilled across borders, with mortars striking villages in southern Turkey.

Clashes between the Syrian regime and rebels have raged for days near the Tal Abyad border gate, which rebels seized last week to the glee of Turkish supporters.

But ongoing battles in the city of Tal Abyad have resulted in mortars hitting villages in the Turkish town of Akcakale, the town's mayor said, according to Turkey's Anadolu Agency. It was unclear whether there were any casualties.

"We wish the war will end soon in our neighbor Syria," Akcakale Mayor Abdulhakim Ayhan told Anadolu. 

Should inspire Costa Gavras ...

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Amazing developments ...