ISTANBUL: Turkey’s president has taken aim at France’s leader, following French criticism about Turkish maritime activities in the eastern Mediterranean that have ignited tensions with Greece and the European Union.
In a speech Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron was targeting him.
“You will have many more problems with me,” Erdogan said, adding, “don’t mess with the Turkish nation and Turkey.”
On Friday, Marcon said that Europe needed to be “clear and firm” with Erdogan’s government over its actions.
France and Turkey, both NATO members, have been at odds over an arms embargo for Libya and over the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, where Paris is supporting Greece and Cyprus, who say Turkey is looking for oil and gas in their waters. Turkey says it has equal rights to the resources in those waters.
Erdogan also said France has no right to criticize Turkey, considering its colonial record.
Turkey’s Erdogan slams Macron amid Mediterranean tensions
https://arab.news/bpyey
Turkey’s Erdogan slams Macron amid Mediterranean tensions
- In a speech Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron was targeting him
- On Friday, Marcon said that Europe needed to be “clear and firm” with Erdogan’s government over its actions
Yemen’s STC leader Al-Zubaidi has fled to unknown location, did not board plane to Riyadh: Coalition
Yemen’s STC leader Al-Zubaidi has fled to unknown location, did not board plane to Riyadh: Coalition
RIYADH: Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, the leader of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council, has fled to an unknown location and did not board a plane to the Saudi capital Riyadh, where talks with other southern-based factions are set to take place, the coalition to support the legitimate government of Yemen said.
Saudi Arabia offered to mediate between the factions to resolve tensions in the south of the country and both Al-Zubaidi and Yemen’s presidential council leader Rashad Al-Alimi agreed to attend.
A large delegation of STC members did board the flight to Riyadh, the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said early on Wednesday.
Al-Zubaidi was due to arrive in the Kingdom on Tuesday but during a 3-hour flight delay, the coalition said that “unjustified field movements” were observed in Aden.
The coalition said it had been provided with information that Al-Zubaidi has moved a large number of forces toward Dhala.
Last week, the coalition carried a out a “limited” airstrike targeting two shipments of smuggled weapons and other military hardware into Mukalla in southern Yemen.
It said the two vessels entered the port without authorization from either the Yemeni government or the coalition, prompting the port’s closure.
The large quantity of “weapons and combat vehicles to support the Southern Transitional Council forces in the eastern governorates of Yemen” aimed to fuel the conflict, the coalition said.
More to follow...
