30 PKK fighters destroy weapons at ceremony
The ceremony marked a major step in the transition of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from armed insurgency to democratic politics as part of a broader effort to end conflicts.
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Gulf Insider
2 days ago
- Gulf Insider
EU Relaxes Schengen Visa Rules for Some Citizens
The European Union has relaxed visa requirements for Turkish citizens seeking to enter the Schengen area, with new measures taking effect from July 15, aimed at addressing long-standing complaints about bureaucratic delays. EU Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Hans Ossowski announced the changes on Friday, describing them as a step towards resolving issues that have frustrated Turkish travellers for years, Reuters reported. The European Commission's decision simplifies the process for obtaining multiple-entry visas to the 27-country bloc. Unified visa for UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman launching 'soon' says GCC chief Under the new system, Turkish citizens who have previously used visas correctly can obtain a six-month visa from their second application. This can then be extended to one-year, three-year and five-year multiple-entry visas in subsequent applications. 'It will be much easier and much faster for Turkish citizens,' Ossowski told reporters in Ankara. The ambassador acknowledged the changes would help address Turkish complaints about lengthy bureaucratic processes but warned the measures would not permanently solve all problems. For years, Turkish citizens have faced delays in the EU's visa system, which operates through accredited visa agencies that have struggled with high application volumes. Turkey's foreign ministry welcomed the move and confirmed that Turkish institutions and the EU Commission would continue seeking further visa relaxation measures. Trade Minister Omer Bolat described the decision as a 'facilitation that our citizens have been awaiting for a long time.' Speaking to the state-owned Anadolu news agency, Bolat also said Turkey wanted to begin talks on modernising its customs union with the EU and expanding the accord to include service and e-commerce sectors. The visa changes come amid signs of renewed engagement between Turkey and the EU after years of strained relations. Turkey has held EU membership candidate status since 1999, but its accession process has been frozen over concerns including human rights and democratic backsliding. Recent months have seen increased economic cooperation and diplomatic engagement. Ossowski emphasised that the EU has offered Turkey visa-free travel prospects for more than a decade and called for urgent revival of the liberalisation process. 'Every other candidate country has visa-free travel except Turkey,' he said. 'It is urgent to re-engage in this process of visa-free travel in the Schengen space and the EU.' The European Commission plans to restart formal negotiations after the summer break and will work with Ankara on fulfilling six remaining benchmarks required by the visa liberalisation roadmap, according to Ossowski. 'We are ready, the Commission is ready to work closely with Turkish authorities,' he said. The EU and Turkey have been discussing possible workarounds to address the slow processing times that have affected Turkish visa applications due to high demand. Also read: Turkey Becomes First Country To Block Grok After The AI Bot Insults Erdoğan
Gulf Insider
17-07-2025
- Gulf Insider
Israel Conducts Massive Strikes On Damascus After Sharaa Regime's Sectarian Attacks
'The heavy blows have started' Israel's defense minister Israel Katz has posted to X above a video (below) showing a Syrian news presenter abruptly taking shelter after a massive explosion in central Damascus. The rare daytime aerial attack by Israel in the heart of Damascus created panic in the streets, and quickly after huge columns of smoke lingered over the downtown area. There are casualties, with state news agency SANA quoting the Health Ministry as saying that at least three were killed and nine people wounded in the Israeli attacks. Eyewitnesses say they saw Israeli warplanes circling above the capital city, and that there were at least three to four strikes. Syria has no air defense systems to speak of, after Bashar al-Assad's December 8 ouster and subsequent heavy Israeli bombings of all remaining Syrian military equipment. The large-scale attack, which could see more to follow, has been roundly condemned by Syria's regional partners who are trying to prop up the new Hayat Tahrir al-Sham government under self-declared interim President Sharaa (Jolani). The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attacks as an attempt to 'sabotage Syria's efforts to ensure peace.' The Syrian people have a 'historic opportunity to live in peace and integrate with the world,' the statement continued. Footage of Israel attacking Damascus: Footage of Israel attacking Damascus. — Clash Report (@clashreport) July 16, 2025 The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has also condemned these new attacks on Damascus in the 'strongest terms' – saying the air assault represented a 'flagrant violation' of Syria's sovereignty, 'a breach of international laws and norms, and a serious threat to regional security and stability.' The statement further described this as an 'irresponsible escalation' which threatens sought-after stability in Syria. There is no Iranian influence in Syria Israel just bombed new Syria, led by a frmr AlQaeda leader, has shamefully done everything to appease only complete emasculation is acceptable to is the reality of Israeli hegemony. — Trita Parsi (@tparsi) July 16, 2025 Israel is framing its actions as in protection of the Druze (an ancient ethno-religious minority community in region), which have come under sectarian attack by Jolani's HTS forces. In southern Syria, jihadists have filmed themselves torturing and forcibly shaving the mustaches of prominent Druze clerics and other men. Facial hair in the Druze religion is considered sacred and is highly symbolic. Disturbing images have emerged from Syria's Suwayda province, where members of the "new Syrian regime" dishonored a Druze man by shaving his mustache. For Druze men, growing a mustache is a religious tradition, and shaving it is considered a sin. — Soran Qurbani (@SorQur) July 15, 2025 Israel's military has long used sectarian tension inside Syria as part of a 'divide and rule' strategy. Immediately after Assad's fall, the IDF send tanks and ground units deep into southern Syria. Christians are also heavily present in the south, and they are under direct threat as well, but Israel has not invoked 'protection of Christians' as having anything to do with its policy… Wearing an ISIS patch, an extremist militant operating under the Syrian army threatens to ethnically cleanse the Druze minority in southern Syria. — The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 16, 2025 Syria's new 'liberators' continue to show their true colors, but also bearing immense responsibility for this are the Gulf states, the United States, and Western countries who had long armed and trained these al-Qaeda fanatics in the first place, as part of the regime change operation against Assad. Also read: Syrians Fear Israel Normalization Could Trigger Another Countrywide War
Gulf Insider
16-07-2025
- Gulf Insider
Drone Attacks On Northern Iraqi Oil Field On The Rise Amid Iran Tensions
On Monday an explosive-laden drone sought to target vital infrastructure in northern Iraq, in an area known to host final remnants of US troops and officials. The US has long been most closely involved with Iraqi Kurdistan. The drone carrying explosives was intercepted and brought down early Monday near Erbil International Airport in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, local officials said. A later, separate nighttime (Monday) attack targeted a key oil field in the region. The region's Directorate General of Counter Terrorism stated that the drone targeting the airport was shot down at 2:20 a.m. local time (2320 GMT on Sunday). While no casualties or property damage resulted, and no group has taken responsibility for the incident so far, it suggests the possibility that Iran-allied Shia paramilitaries could be ready to cause havoc, following the 12-day Israel-Iran war last June, which the US also became involved in through bombing three nuclear facilities. Iraq has seen a rise in drone-related attacks in recent weeks – with for example earlier this month security forces having shot down another explosive drone near Erbil Airport. And recently similar device was intercepted near a Kurdish Peshmerga base in Kirkuk province. This brings up the possibility of anti-Kurdish factions, or even the possibility of remnant ISIS cells. In the night hours of Monday, there are new reports of yet another drone attack in the region, and this time unverified videos suggest that damage has been done (unconfirmed): According to Rudaw English, a Kurdish regional outlet: Two explosive-laden drones target the Khurmala oil field in Erbil province, resulting in no casualties – citing Kurdish counterterrorism units. The oil field lies southwest of Erbil, and reports suggest they were intercepted by US-led coalition forces on Monday night. The area lies about 60 kilometers from Erbil city.
