Headlines:
- Turkey Joins US Led Coalition in Airstrikes against ISIL in Syria
- Turkey’s First Election Gov’t comes with more Firsts
- 2 Refugee Boats Capsize off Greece, Turkey; 5 Dead
Turkey Joins US Led Coalition in Airstrikes against ISIL in Syria
For the first time Turkish fighter jets have taken part in US-led airstrikes against the self-proclaimed Islamic State – also known as IS, or ISIL – in Syria.
The Turkish foreign ministry announced the move, which came a month after the government agreed to open its air bases to the coalition.
Ankara had formerly been reluctant to play a dominant role in the battle against ISIL, fearing repercussions.
In July its air force targeted some of the jihadist group’s strongholds in neighboring Syria independently of the coalition operation. [Source: Euronews]
It is time for Erdogan and his comrades to show their loyalty to America which supported them until now. Unfortunately this fidelity test will be made on Muslim lands. May Allah save us soon from these colonialists and their puppets.
Turkey’s First Election Gov’t comes with more Firsts
As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan approved the interim government, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has pledged that his new cabinet up until the Nov. 1 snap election will operate like a government elected for a four-year term, challenging all those who might seek a “power vacuum” in the run-up to the election.
Davutoglu delivered a lengthy review of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government’s performance in a speech delivered on Aug. 28, hours before presenting an interim cabinet list for President Erdogan’s approval.
“With the cabinet that I will present today to the president, we will not work in the mood of a transition government. If there are jackals who say, ‘This is a transition government and it is foggy weather, let’s take to the streets in this foggy weather,’ we will not let them,” he said at an expanded meeting with his ruling AKP’s provincial chairs.
The gathering at the AKP HQ came two weeks before the party’s regular congress scheduled for Sept. 12.
“We will work with this cabinet as if we are governing Turkey for four years. By no means will we conduct this saying, ‘This is an election cabinet until Nov. 1, let’s pass the days and spend time strolling around with red license plates,’” Davutoglu said, claiming that the AKP is not a place for anyone looking to pursue their personal advancement through use of their post.
The Erdogan-Davutoglu meeting at the presidential palace started with delays and took 70 minutes. The Presidency announced late Aug. 28 that Erdogan approved Davutoglu’s list, which is the first ever interim government formed to take the country to elections. [Source: Hurriyet Daily News]
Democratic politics remain without direction to politicians. Every purpose can be changed for the sake of power whether it is with the approval of the general public or not.
2 Refugee Boats Capsize off Greece, Turkey; 5 Dead
Greek and Turkish coast guard vessels recovered five bodies after two boats carrying refugees or migrants capsized in separate incidents off the Turkish coast and a Greek island Monday.
Greece’s coast guard recovered the bodies of two men, rescued six people and was searching for at least five more missing off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos after the dinghy they were using to enter Greece clandestinely from Turkey overturned early Monday.
The coast guard was alerted after a fishing boat picked up one person off Lesbos’ eastern coast, and a second managed to swim to the island. The two told authorities they had been in a boat carrying about 15 people when it overturned. Their nationalities were not immediately known.
Across the narrow strait between the island and Turkey, Turkey’s coast guard recovered three bodies and rescued 73 refugees from Syria and Afghanistan after a fishing boat that would have taken them to Lesbos capsized about off Turkey’s Aegean coast at Canakkale, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Separately, Greece’s coast guard said it had picked up 877 people in 30 search and rescue operations from Friday morning to Monday morning. The figures don’t include the hundreds who get to the islands themselves, mostly in inflatable dinghies. [Source: ABC News]
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم « يُوشِكُ الأُمَمُ أَنْ تَدَاعَى عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَا تَدَاعَى الأَكَلَةُ إِلَى قَصْعَتِهَا » . فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ وَمِنْ قِلَّةٍ نَحْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ « بَلْ أَنْتُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ كَثِيرٌ وَلَكِنَّكُمْ غُثَاءٌ كَغُثَاءِ السَّيْلِ وَلَيَنْزِعَنَّ اللَّهُ مِنْ صُدُورِ عَدُوِّكُمُ الْمَهَابَةَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَيَقْذِفَنَّ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمُ الْوَهَنَ» فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا الْوَهَنُ قَالَ « حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَكَرَاهِيَةُ الْمَوْتِ »
The Prophet ﷺ said, “The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish.” Someone asked, ‘Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?’ He replied, ‘No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be like the foam that is carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and last enervation into your hearts.’ Someone asked, ‘What is wahn (enervation)?’ Messenger of Allah ﷺ: He replied, ‘Love of the world and dislike of death.’” (Sunan Abu Dawud 4297)