ANKARA: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed straight into talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after landing in Ankara on Thursday, a US official said.
The plane touched down at 8:14 p.m. (1714 GMT), an AFP correspondent traveling with him said. Blinken headed straight into talks with Erdogan “in the VIP lounge” at Ankara’s Esenboga airport, the US official said.
Washington’s top diplomat flew in from the Jordanian Red Sea resort of Aqaba where he kicked off a regional tour on Thursday to discuss fallout from the ouster of Syria’s Bashar Assad.
Turkiye was expected to put heavy emphasis on its security concerns following the upheaval in Syria, where it has been fighting a Kurdish-led force that Washington backs as a key player in the fight against Daesh group militants.
Before leaving Aqaba, Blinken said the role of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) was “critical” to preventing a resurgence of Daesh militants in the country.
Blinken meets Erdogan for talks in Turkiye
https://arab.news/zscec
Blinken meets Erdogan for talks in Turkiye
- The plane touched down at 8:14 p.m.
- Blinken headed straight into talks with Erdogan
About 50,000 worshippers perform Taraweeh prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque
- Palestinians are observing Ramadan amid heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank
- Over 300 Jerusalemites have recently received Israeli orders prohibiting their entry to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the fasting month
LONDON: Nearly 50,000 worshippers performed the Isha and Ramadan Taraweeh prayers on Sunday evening at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the walled city of occupied East Jerusalem.
Thousands of Palestinians gathered at Al-Aqsa despite facing Israeli military checkpoints and strict identity checks at the mosque’s gates, according to the Jerusalem Governorate.
Palestinians are observing the fasting month of Ramadan, which began last Wednesday, amid heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank, including attacks by settlers, and Israeli raids and arrests.
Over 300 Jerusalemites have recently received Israeli orders prohibiting their entry to Al-Aqsa during Ramadan, the Wafa news agency reported.
Israeli forces have increased their military presence in Jerusalem and restricted access to Al-Aqsa to children under 12, men over 55, and women over 50.
Since Wednesday, thousands of Palestinians have lined up to pass through military checkpoints, including Qalandiya and Bethlehem, in hopes of attending prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.
