Fire damages historic mosque on Istanbul's Bosporus Strait

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A fire engulfs Vanikoy Mosque, a historic wooden mosque, in Istanbul, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. The Vanikoy Mosque is located on the Asian side of Istanbul along the Bosporus Strait. (AP)
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Turkish firefighters try to put out the blaze from the sea as a fire engulfs Vanikoy Mosque, a historic wooden mosque, in Istanbul, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. (AP)
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A firefighter looks at the damage at Vanikoy Mosque, a historic wooden mosque, in Istanbul, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. (AP)
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Updated 15 November 2020
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Fire damages historic mosque on Istanbul's Bosporus Strait

  • Istanbul's Fire Department tweeted the fire had been extinguished and cooling efforts were ongoing
  • The mosque is a wooden structure with a single minaret

ISTANBUL: A historic wooden mosque in Istanbul caught on fire Sunday and Turkish firefighters put out the blaze, working from both land and sea.
The Vanikoy Mosque, built in the 17th century during the reign of Ottoman Sultan IV Mehmed, is located on the Asian side of Istanbul along the Bosporus Strait. Videos showed heavy smoke pouring from the structure.
Istanbul's Fire Department tweeted the fire had been extinguished and cooling efforts were ongoing. The firefighters prevented the fire from reaching a forest behind the mosque and the neighboring houses that line the Bosporus. They were aided by the coast guard.
The mosque is a wooden structure with a single minaret. The cause of the fire was not yet determined and the city's governor said an investigation had been launched.


Syrian government takes over Qamishli airport security in Hasaka

Updated 8 sec ago
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Syrian government takes over Qamishli airport security in Hasaka

  • Qamishli airport has been out of service for the past 15 years and was the only major airport under SDF control
  • The Ministry of Interior is conducting the handover process to restore full state authority over vital facilities

LONDON: Syrian authorities have taken over security responsibilities at Qamishli airport in Hasaka Province, northeastern Syrian Arab Republic, as part of the implementation of the agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The Ministry of Interior, represented by the Directorate of Airport and Border Security, is conducting the handover process on Sunday to restore full state authority over vital facilities and enhance security procedures at airports and border crossings, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

Qamishli airport has been out of service for the past 15 years and was the only major airport under SDF control.

In January, the Syrian army entered Hasakah and deployed throughout the Jazira region to secure it under an agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF.

Under the agreement, both the Syrian government and the SDF agreed to a ceasefire and a phased integration of military and administrative structures. It also includes deploying government security forces and transferring control of civil institutions and border areas to the state, the SANA added.