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The United States has sanctioned 10 targets for supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, including those who have helped the Syrian government buy oil from Islamic State militants, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Wednesday. In its latest round of sanctions related to the Syria crisis, the United States said it would freeze assets of four people and six entities, including a Russian bank, for providing such support and prohibit Americans from any transactions with them. The sanctions target Russian Financial Alliance Bank for its role in financial transactions with the Syrian government as well as two individuals linked to the...

Erdoğan tacitly acknowledges claim MİT transported arms to Syria Syria-bound trucks operated by MİT were searched in January 2014 after prosecutors received tip-offs that they were illegally carrying arms to Syria. (Photo: DHA) November 25, 2015, Wednesday/ 17:32:45/ TODAY'S ZAMAN / ANKARA President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday seemingly validated claims previously made by critics who alleged that the Turkish government was sending weapon-filled trucks to radical groups in Syria by sarcastically asking, “So what if the MİT [National Intelligence Organization] trucks were filled with weapons?”

The conflicting stories over yesterday's dramatic downing of a Russian jet on the Syria-Turkish border continue to grow, and after the ongoing confusion whether the Russian pilot did or did not enter Turkish territory for a grand total of 17 seconds, moments ago Konstantin Murahtin, the co-pilot from the downed Russian jet who survived the ground fire by US-armed rebels unlike his pilot, and who was rescued by the Syrian army, said that contrary to official reports that Turkey had somehow warned the Russian jet "10 times" (in 17 seconds?) that it would fire, Turkey had in fact given no...

The downing of a Russian jet fighter by Turkey threatens to disrupt President Vladimir Putin's plan to bring more countries into his antiterrorism tent, as well as any potential rapprochement with the West. Since launching airstrikes in Syria at the end of September that he said were directed against Islamic State and other terrorist groups, Mr. Putin had called on other countries to join an alliance that includes Iran, Iraq and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The recent terror attacks in Paris created an opening for the Kremlin: Moscow is preparing for a visit Thursday by French President Francois Hollande...

Furious #Assad/#Putin forces shell the Syrian-Turkish border areas in #Latakia w/ MLRS. https://t.co/xxNb2vrS6r pic.twitter.com/LT5vugEl2M— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHgdAbTtwEc #Russia's message to #Turkey: 'If we bomb your allies only meters from your border but stay in Syria, you can't do anything about it!'— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015

#BreakingReport #Russia bombs #Azaz today, the heart of the Turkish-aspired "safe zone" in northern #Syria. pic.twitter.com/jl5aBHllaO— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015 Clear message to #Turkey and the West: "We won't allow you to save anyone in #Syria. Not even 4 km South of you. This is OUR battlefield."— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015

Less provocative and deadly incidents than the latest Paris terror massacre and the November 24 Turkey-Russia aerial incident have ignited very large and destructive wars. Both incidents are serious, both involve U.S. NATO allies and both have already produced chain reaction political consequences. Review the headlines. On Nov. 13, NATO member France suffered a devastating terror attack by terrorists connected to an enemy organization, which claims it is a state. France has mulled invoking NATO Article 5. On Nov. 24, NATO member Turkey shot down a Russian SU-24 fighter-bomber that had violated its air space. In response, Moscow ordered a...

#BreakingFootage THREE #Russian Su-34 bomb the Syrian-Turkish border areas north of #Aleppo https://t.co/d2f3NbgScj pic.twitter.com/fIYXCfo57H— Julian Röpcke (@JulianRoepcke) November 25, 2015 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I-EH7Jk1vk

By now you have heard the news of a Russian fighter being shot down over Turkey. There are conflicting reports as to whether the plane was in Turkish or Syrian airspace. Another unknown is whether the plane was shot down from the air or ground. Also conflicting as to whether the pilots were dead prior to landing, or executed while parachuting down or after landing. Add to this the destruction of a Russian search helicopter by an anti tank "TOW". The ramifications of these events are mind boggling to say the least. While sitting down to write this, a news...

Tensions following Turkey's downing of a Russian fighter jet have shrunk the horizon for Russian tourists in search for sunnier climes, and for battered tour operators. Foreign travel had already been under a dark shadow from a weak economy and the severing of air ties with Egypt after the bombing of a passenger jet. Officials led by strongman Vladimir Putin warned Russians against travelling to Turkey and insisted the country was no safer than Egypt, where a Russian charter plane flying from the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh to Saint Petersburg was downed by a bomb last month, killing all...

The first thing to remember about the Turkish downing of a Russian fighter-jet is that it could just as easily have happened to an American aircraft. Yes, the situation in Syria is that complex; there’s plenty of risk to go around—and that’s before anyone starts putting “boots on the ground.”

Mark ‏@markito0171 2h2 hours ago #Russia'n warplanes bombed the #Syria'n - #Turkey border crossing at #Azaz -trucks burning https://twitter.com/markito0171/status/669517052386918400 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuy_5U8uaG0

Ankara explosions: Reports of multiple blasts and injuries in Turkish capital 14:35, 25 Nov 2015 Updated 15:27, 25 Nov 2015 By Anthony Bond Multiple explosions have taken place in the Turkish capital Ankara, it has been reported. Witnesses say the blasts resulted in several popping sounds and caused a number of injuries. Reports from the city said the violence explosions caused panic with many people taking to social media fearing a coordinated attack. Emergency services rushed onto the streets shortly after the blasts at about 1.30pm local time. Military personal and firefighters were also deployed. Local police said they investigated...

KOMSOMOLSKOYE, Russia (AP) -- Security forces in Russia's southernmost republic of Dagestan keep devout Muslims under surveillance, routinely raid their homes and haul them to police stations to give DNA samples and fingerprints. So it was no surprise to many in the village of Komsomolskoye that Rashid Magomedov fled to Syria to join the Islamic State group, leaving behind a pregnant wife and two children.

The surviving pilot of a Russian jet downed by Turkey has said there were no warnings before they were struck out of the sky, it's reported. Captain Konstantin Murakhtin told a Russian TV station that his plane was flying over Syrian territory and did not violate Turkish airspace. Speaking for the first time since the incident yesterday, the pilot said he knew the region like the back of his hand and "couldn't possibly have flown into Turkish airspace".

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Poland's new prime minister has broken with the practice of pro-European predecessors and has removed the EU flag from her weekly news conference. Beata Szydlo appeared Tuesday to brief reporters after the first working meeting with her Cabinet since the conservative Law and Justice party took power last week, and stood in front of Polish flags only. Asked about the change, Szydlo said that in these difficult times she is grateful that Poland belongs to NATO and the EU, but that government press briefings devoted to national matters will from now on take place "against the...

Fmr. Commander of NATO, Gen. Wesley Clark says Turkey could do more to stop the flow of foreign fighters to ISIS.

On Tuesday evening, we took a close look at the circumstances surrounding Turkey's decision to shoot down a Russian Su-24 near the Syrian border. The incident was the most meaningful escalation in the conflict to date and marks the first time a Russian or Soviet plane has been downed by NATO since 1953. The pilots ejected, one of whom was shot in his parachute by FSA-affiliated Alwiya al-Ashar militiamen who subsequently celebrated over the body. About an hour later, the FSA's 1st Coastal Brigade used a US-made TOW to destroy a Russian search and rescue helicopter, killing one Russian marine....

YAYLADAGI, Turkey (Reuters) - Russian forces launched a heavy bombardment against insurgent-held areas in Syria's Latakia province on Wednesday, near where a Russian warplane had been shot down by Turkey the day before, rebels and a monitoring group said. At least 12 air strikes hit Latakia's northern countryside as pro-government forces clashed with fighters from al Qaeda's Nusra Front and Turkmen insurgents in the Jabal Akrad and Jabal Turkman areas, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A Turkmen commander said missiles fired from Russian warships in the Mediterranean were also hitting the area, as well as heavy artillery...

Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it? David Graeber Last modified on Thursday 19 November 2015 12.04 EST Western leaders could destroy Islamic State by calling on Erdoğan to end his attacks on Kurdish forces in Syria and Turkey and allow them to fight Isis on the ground How could Isis be eliminated? In the region, everyone knows. All it would really take would be to unleash the largely Kurdish forces of the YPG (Democratic Union party) in Syria, and PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ party) guerillas in Iraq and Turkey. These are, currently, the main forces...