ISTANBUL: Turkey drew another rebuke from the European Union on Sunday when it said its Yavuz energy drill ship would extend operations in disputed Mediterranean waters off Cyprus until mid-September.
Yavuz will be accompanied by three other Turkish ships according to a maritime notice that added “all vessels are strongly advised not to enter” the area.
A standoff has intensified in recent weeks between Turkey and EU-member Greece over oil and gas exploration rights at sea, and even involved a minor collision between their frigates last week.
Turkey’s renewed drilling plan covers a zone delineated by Cyprus and Egypt and raises tensions, said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who called for an immediate halt to Turkey’s activities and the beginning of dialogue.
“This action runs counter and undermines efforts to resume dialogue and negotiations, and to pursue immediate de-escalation,” he said in a statement.
Cairo and Athens signed a territorial zoning deal earlier this month. While Paris has stepped in to criticize what it calls Turkey’s provocations, Ankara says it will not back down from defending its legal rights.
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday “the language of sanctions and threats” will not deter Turkey.
Turkey draws another EU rebuke for latest plans at sea
https://arab.news/9zmzh
Turkey draws another EU rebuke for latest plans at sea
- A standoff has intensified in recent weeks between Turkey and Greece over oil and gas exploration rights at sea
- President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday “the language of sanctions and threats” will not deter Turkey
Supplies running out at Syria’s Al-Hol camp as clashes block aid deliveries
DAMASCUS: An international humanitarian organization has warned that supplies are running out at a camp in northeast Syria housing thousands of people linked to the Daesh group, as the country’s government fights to establish control over an area formerly controlled by Kurdish fighters.
The late Friday statement by Save the Children came a week after government forces captured Al-Hol camp, which is home to more than 24,000 people, mostly children and women, including many wives or widows of Daesh members.
The capture of the camp came after intense fighting earlier this month between government forces and members of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during which forces loyal to interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa captured wide areas in eastern and northeastern Syria.
The SDF signed a deal to end the fighting after suffering major defeats, but sporadic clashes between it and the government have continued.
Save the Children said that “critical supplies in Al-Hol camp are running dangerously low” as clashes are blocking the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.
It added that last week’s clashes around the camp forced aid agencies to temporarily suspend regular operations at Al-Hol. It added that the main road leading to the camp remains unsafe, which is preventing humanitarian workers from delivering food and water or running basic services for children and families.
“The situation in Al-Hol camp is rapidly deteriorating as food, water and medicines run dangerously low,” said Rasha Muhrez, Save the Children Syria country director. “If humanitarian organizations are unable to resume work, children will face still more risks in the camp, which was already extremely dangerous for them before this latest escalation.”
Muhrez added that all parties to the conflict must ensure a safe humanitarian corridor to Al-Hol so basic services can resume and children can be protected. “Lives depend on it,” she said.
The SDF announced a new agreement with the central government on Friday, aiming to stabilize a ceasefire that ended weeks of fighting and lay out steps toward integrating the US-backed force into the army and police forces.
