Video - Iraqi hearing on 'hostage taking' of Turkish consul: "how was the Consul kidnapped? A: he was not kidnapped."

Video - Iraqi hearing on 'hostage taking' of Turkish consul: "how was the Consul kidnapped? A: he was not kidnapped.".

Answering MPs questions was the head of intelligence in #Mosul. (2)

— Dr. Abbas Kadhim (@DrAbbasKadhim) December 29, 2015

Q: what is your info about #Turkish Consul? A: he did not withdraw. We informed them [about ISIL], but said "don't worry about us". (3)

— Dr. Abbas Kadhim (@DrAbbasKadhim) December 29, 2015

Q: how was the Consul kidnapped? A: according to our intelligence, he was not kidnapped. Q: Yo mean coordination? A: it's our belief. (5)

— Dr. Abbas Kadhim (@DrAbbasKadhim) December 29, 2015

Q: which countries maintained intelligence role in #Mosul? A: mostly #Turkey. Q: was their role positive or negative. A: Negative. (6/6)

— Dr. Abbas Kadhim (@DrAbbasKadhim) December 29, 2015

I am writing an article about this matter. Stay tuned. #Turkey #Iraq #Mosul #ISIL

— Dr. Abbas Kadhim (@DrAbbasKadhim) December 29, 2015

Hmmmm.......Seems my gut feeling a year ago was right, ISIS was working with Turkey the goal was Kurdish Oil. (See Below).

It has come to light that the ISIS terror organization and its supporters planned details of the attack on Mosul in a hotel in Istanbul under the protection of the Turkish Intelligence Organization between the 28 February and 2 March. The militants reportedly met in Jordan’s capital Amman on the 1 June and invaded Mosul a week later.

@MuratYetkin2 Turkey exports Kurd - Iraq oil, iraq complains to UN...ISIS heads for the oil fields, Emb staff hostage but OK ...Coincidence?

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) June 12, 2014

Turkish foreign ministry’s emergency advisory that Mosul consulate must be evacuated was apparently overruled by senior political leadership

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) June 14, 2014

Turkish journalist claims: Foreign Ministry ordered consulate staff to remain in #Mosul, stating "#ISIS is no enemy." http://t.co/1bopnbNehg

— IrmakYenisehirlioglu (@Irmak_Ye) June 13, 2014

I found my comment back at the time of the release of the kidnapped staff:

@Meralink Amazingly well 'organized' had new suits ready for all the hostages...what an intell ops, compliments to #Fidan :)

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) September 20, 2014

Related: MHP MP: Turkish consulate staff held as hostages by ISIS will be used as human shields in military ops.

  Turkish hostages seized by ISIS in Iraq freed. - live updates

Video - Chechen President Kadyrov: The West Created ISIS, America the Cause of All Terror Attacks Worldwide.

Chechen strongman Kadyrov blames 'Islamist' Turkey for executing ‘Western plan to destroy Muslim nations’

                                   Video - Kadyrov: 'Allah Akhbar' Chechnya For Putin.

Chechen strongman Kadyrov blames 'Islamist' Turkey for executing ‘Western plan to destroy Muslim nations’ . (RT).

The head of the Chechen Republic has accused the Turkish authorities of aiding the Islamic State terrorist group and taking part clandestinely in Western nations’ plots to weaken and destroy Islam.

Ramzan Kadyrov shared his ideas through a post on Instagram. He said it was a reply to accusations by Turkish mass media that he was opposing Muslims and acting on the side of infidels. Also, the Chechen leader countered the statements of the same mass media that Turkey has always helped the Chechen people.

“I prefer exact statements and I am asking you – when, where and with which has Turkey ever helped Chechnya and my people? Show me a single school, hospital, kindergarten or mosque presented to Chechnya,” Kadyrov wrote. “You only helped terrorists, Wahhabis. You raised funds for them, you offered them medical treatment and rest and they committed terrorist attacks, and killed Chechen people. Was this your help?”

The Chechen leader also accused Turkish journalists of distorting historical facts, saying the ‘help’ could be the immigration of tens of thousands of Chechens to Turkey in the 19th century, but this caused nothing but suffering. “Turkey lured tens of thousands of Chechens through deceit. They had to live in very harsh conditions. Over half of them perished within the first five years and any attempts to return to Russia were answered with gunfire,” Kadyrov said.

He went on to accuse the Turkish authorities of helping terrorists from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and other terrorist groups. “Turkey is not fighting ISIS! They are making business, they buy oil from them and finance the enemies of Islam who kill thousands of Muslims!” he wrote.

“The aircraft that Turkey has shot down was our aircraft! You know that there are millions of Muslims in Russia, why did you act on the hint of the United States and other Western nations, downed our plane and killed our pilot, who fought ISIS and protected Muslims?” the Chechen leader asked his Turkish opponents.

“I am the defender of Islam and Turkish authorities are helping to destroy Muslim nations and peoples. Wake up!” Kadyrov concluded.

Ramzan Kadyrov presents himself as a devout Muslim and often addresses the global Muslim community on various issues. Earlier this year, he expressed confidence that IS had been created “first of all against Russia,” and warned of the threat the jihadist group and the conflict in Syria pose to Russia’s security.

He has also repeatedly accused the US and other Western nations of “spawning” IS in order to incite hatred towards Muslims all over the world, distract public attention from numerous problems in the Middle East, and destroy Islamic nations from inside.

Last year, Kadyrov vowed to destroy IS after the group threatened to attack Russia. He also said he has repeatedly asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Chechen infantry and himself to Syria to take part in the anti-IS operation.

Russia’s NATO envoy: "By ‘covering’ Turkey politically, NATO took responsibility for downing of Russian Su-24".

Russia’s NATO envoy: "By ‘covering’ Turkey politically, NATO took responsibility for downing of Russian Su-24". (RT).

By refusing to render an opinion on Turkey’s “intentional” downing of Russia’s bomber over Syria, and instead providing Ankara with political backing, NATO’s leadership has taken responsibility for the incident, Russia’s NATO envoy, Aleksandr Grushko, said.

Grushko gave his comments to reporters on Monday after it emerged that he had met with NATO’s Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow to discuss the November 24 incident when a Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down by a Turkish F-16 while striking terrorist positions in Syria.

“Yes, indeed I had talks with Deputy Secretary-General A. Vershbow over the Su-24 incident…. I laid out the Russian assessment of the incident and cited a series of military and political factors which indicate of the intentional nature of the attack on the Russian plane in the Syrian airspace,” Grushko, Russia’s Permanent Representative at NATO, said.

However, Vershbow would not give any assessment of Turkey’s aggressive action, according to the Russian diplomat, and only called for restraint and direct contact between Moscow and Ankara concerning the issue.

“NATO prefers not to go into detail on what the reason was for Turkey’s decision to launch a missile to down a plane which was flying in Syrian airspace and which posed no threat to Turkey,” Grushko pointed out.

The Russian envoy to NATO stressed that Turkey’s decision to down a non-hostile plane in the border region goes against the alliance’s rules of engagement.

“In the case of the November 24 incident, even if we take for granted the absolutely ungrounded version of violation of Turkey’s airspace, these NATO’s practices were not observed, since, according to Ankara, the pilots did not even know the identity of the violator plane,” he stressed. Hmmmm......It seems 'Islamist' Turkey is already running NATO de facto, it did not wait till 2021.   Read the full story here.

'Advanced Islamist Dictatorship' Turkey - Bar Association head of Turkey's Diyarbakır murdered execution style by 'unknown' terrorist.

'Advanced Islamist Dictatorship' Turkey - Bar Association head of Turkey's Diyarbakır murdered execution style by 'unknown' terrorist. (HD).

Tahir Elçi, the head of the Bar Association in Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakır, was killed in a gun attack following a press meeting, as one policeman was also killed in a clash.

Interor Minister Efkan Ala said in a press meeting that attackers shot at security forces from a car after the press meeting, killing one policeman.

One policeman was heavily wounded in the attack, as Elçi, who was at the scene, was killed during the clash, Ala said.

Four inspectors were appointed to enlighten the incident, Ala said.

Curfew was imposed in the Diyarbakır town of Sur, where the attack took place.

Source Quote.

"This incident shows how righteous Turkey is in its determination in struggle against terrorism," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a speech in Balıkesir, vowing to continue the struggle until the end.

The Diyarbakır Bar said in a tweet that it was an assassination.

Elçi and accompanying lawyers made a press meeting on the damage of the earlier clashes in Sur before the gun shots were heard.

Doğan News Agency quoted eye witnesses a saying that one bearded man fired at Elçi, but it is still uncertain whether the bar chief was targeted. Read the full story here. More here.

@UniteKurdistan 1/2 My footage is better play at low speed, gun is seen laying by the body, . https://t.co/ABtIUmNZdE

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) November 28, 2015

#Turkey: The preliminary reports suggest Tahir Elçi shot at close range from the head with a single bullet

— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) November 28, 2015

#TahirElçi's words at the press conference this morning: "We do not want guns, clashes, operations here." https://t.co/IVj52Maqzw

— Has Avrat (@hasavrat) November 28, 2015

Expert on Arabs and the ME, highlights coordination between jihadist groups and Turkish intelligence agency.

Expert on Arabs and the ME, highlights coordination between jihadist groups and Turkish intelligence agency. (ANF).

Sami Ali, Expert on Arabs and the Middle East, who is currently in Moscow, has written an article for ANF, in which the coordination between jihadist groups and Turkish intelligence agency is highlighted.

Below is the English version of the article by Sami Ali.

'ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS OF THE GROUPS COORDINATED BY MIT'

Syrian Democratic Forces are waging a battle against international terrorist forces, mainly the ISIS, as well as Sheikh Süleyman Forces and Turkistan Islamic Party affiliated to Jabhat Al-Nusra, which are constituted by people from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Daghestan and Chechenia.

A number of terrorists have been captured during the course of this battle. The conclusion drawn from their testimonies indicates that these groups are not actually affiliated to ISIS, while their activities and actions are coordinated in line with a scope drawn by Turkish MİT (national intelligence agency) at a top level.

These groups are active in some villages around Azaz, Jarablus and Aleppo; in other words the area between the cantons of Kobanê and Afrin. Separately, there is also another group of 400 Turkish soldiers deployed in this area in the uniforms of opposition groups. This group is situated in the area independently from ISIS and other mentioned forces.

'TURKEY PROVIDES EVERY SUPPORT TO ISIS AND OTHER GROUPS'

In Jarablus area and especially near Turkey border, ISIS and other groups are provided with all kinds of aid including military equipment, transfer of militants and logistic support.

Turkey also has a remarkable military reinforcement on its own side of the border, from which it intervenes and hinders Syrian Democratic Forces' intention to cross the Euphrates and take this area.

The most concrete instance of this truth was witnessed in the village of Ziyaret. Despite everything, it is known by everyone now that Syrian Democratic Forces are made up of Kurdish, Turkmen and Arab local people. They must be supported.


Jarablus border crossing and unofficial border gates opened around are on the other hand used for the delivery of crude oil and other things, in return for which Turkey provides convenience for the terrorist groups by giving them military equipment and logistic support.

Turkmen or Turk man? Militant who boasts he killed Russian pilot appears to be son of Turkish mayor #SU24 #Turkey https://t.co/x4FjtBqUnt

— IN THE NOW (@INTHENOWRT) November 25, 2015

"We should annex part of northern #Syria, where Turkmens live," says #Turkey columnist, citing #Cyprus as precedent: https://t.co/zIxUvP77JJ

— IrmakYenisehirlioglu (@Irmak_Ye) November 26, 2015

Russia expects high level apology from Turkey, mulls economic sanctions.

Russia expects high level apology from Turkey, mulls economic sanctions. (IX).

Russia is expecting from Turkey a high level apology and compensation for the damage caused by Tuesday's downing of a Su-24 aircraft, and is considering retaliatory economic sanctions, the country's leaders said Thursday.

"We have not yet received any clear apology from Turkey's high political level, nor any proposal to compensate the harm and damage or promises to punish perpetrators of the crime," Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a ceremony of the presentation of credentials by new foreign ambassadors.

Putin slammed the Turkish leadership for deliberately steering the Russia-Turkey ties into the dead end, which he said was "regrettable."

He said that Moscow considered the downing a "treacherous stab in the back", saying the act contradicted common sense and violated international law.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called the downing of the Russian warplane an "act of aggression," and instructed the government to prepare possible economic sanctions against Turkey within two days.

"Government departments have been asked to formulate a series of measures to respond to this act of aggression," Medvedev told a government meeting Thursday.

Restrictions should be imposed and remain in place until there is an improvement in the bilateral relations, Medvedev added.

The rescued pilot of the Su-24, Konstantin Murakhtin, told reporters later in the day that no visual or video warning was received from the Turkish side, ruling out possibility of violating Turkish airspace.

"If they wanted to warn us, they could have shown themselves, taken a parallel course, but there was nothing. And the rocket struck us in the tail suddenly. We didn't even visually observe it to be able to make an anti-missile maneuver," Tass news agency quoted Murakhtin as saying. 

 Murakhtin assured "there wasn't even a risk of (the Russian warplane) entering Turkey" as the plane was under control of the crew at the time. Read the full story here and here.

Russia Cuts All Military Ties With Turkey following the downing of Su-24 military jet; S-400 System in Syria Deployed

Russia Cuts All Military Ties With Turkey following the downing of Su-24 military jet; S-400 System in Syria Deployed. (SP)

"Today, in accordance with a previously made decision, all cooperation channels have been cut between the Russian Defense Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces," ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters.

"This concerns all ties, not just the so-called hotline that was launched in order to avoid possible air incidents during the destruction of terrorist infrastructure in Syria," he added. Read the full story here.

💥 Turkey's Erdoğan speaks to France 24 @mperelman, says he called Putin after downing of Russian jet 'but he did not answer'. #Russia #Su24"

— Hasan Sari (@HasanSari7) November 26, 2015

#Russia seizes 2 more #Turkish ships carrying medication for #Russian market. 6 ships seized so far ( #Putin fear of poisoning by #Turks?)

— Amir Taheri (@AmirTaheri4) November 26, 2015

#СИРИЯ ЗРК С-400 оперативно доставлен авиабазу #Хмеймим и заступил на боевое дежурство по противовоздушной обороне pic.twitter.com/HonVPiYzJk

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) November 26, 2015

Vice-Admiral Kulakov, entered the Gulf of Aden Could be heading for Egypt, second front opening?

БПК #СФ «Вице-адмирал Кулаков»,выпол.задачи в дальней океанской зоне, вошел в Аденский залив https://t.co/8YMOK9t9Td pic.twitter.com/Cph687HQRv

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) November 26, 2015

С-400 на базе Хмеймим pic.twitter.com/i6UGCT66eg

— Alexey (@Alekzzzzz) November 26, 2015

#СИРИЯ #ВИДЕО Крейсер «#Москва» прибыл к побережью Латакии для обеспечения ПВО района https://t.co/Re5T6Rx1lo pic.twitter.com/Td7rdfRBwq

— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) November 26, 2015

Russia and Israel will exchange information on their combat against terrorism.

Russia and Israel will exchange information on their combat against terrorism. (SP).

Russia and Israel will exchange information on their combat against terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

"We will continue to maintain contacts with the Israeli leadership to establish a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, to share information on the anti-terrorism track," Putin said during a ceremony to receive credentials from the 15 new ambassadors, including from Israel, to Russia.

The Russian leader added that Moscow was satisfied with the state of constructive partnership with Israel.

"Relations between our countries are at high level. In September, we held intense and very fruitful talks together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We agreed to deepen our cooperation in the spheres of industry, high-tech and agriculture," Putin said. Hmmm......The Russians understood where the Islamist cancer is located. Read the full story here.

Video - Russian Chief of Main Ops Directorate Lt.Gen. Rudskoy speaking about downed Russian jet - English subtitled.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Rejects Turkish Proposals for Meeting.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Rejects Turkish Proposals for Meeting.(SP).

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart has not agreed to any proposals to hold a meeting, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

"Just now, in the course of an interview with Russian and foreign media, Lavrov literally said he was not engaged in a meeting with the Turkish foreign minister at the forthcoming OSCE ministerial meeting," Zakharova told reporters.

According to Zakharova, Moscow paid attention to media reports citing a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson and alleging that there was an agreement to hold a meeting of the both countries’ foreign ministers in the coming days.

"Such statements by the Turkish Foreign Ministry once again point to the lack of basic concepts of ethics and respect, and are indicative in terms of truthfulness of all that we hear from Ankara," Zakharova noted.

On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 jet crashed in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the plane was downed by an air-to-air missile launched by a Turkish F-16 jet over Syrian territory, falling 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Turkish border. Putin described the Turkish attack as a "stab in the back" carried out by "accomplices of terrorists."

Following the tragedy, Lavrov canceled his visit to the fifth meeting of the Turkish-Russian Joint Strategic Planning Group in the Turkish city of Istanbul.

Iranian Pres Rouhani warns: Turkey’s downing Russian warplane “Highly dangerous”.

Iranian Pres Rouhani warns: Turkey’s downing Russian warplane “very dangerous”. (Taz).

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani called on Turkish and Russian officials to show restraint after Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber over its airspace.

Rouhani urged the two parties to eliminate the tension with prudence, Iranian state IRINN TV reported Nov. 25.

Saying that Russia and Turkey are both friendly countries to Iran, Rouhani noted that it is of utmost importance to the Islamic Republic that its neighbors maintain good relations with one another.

Maintaining stability and security in the region, is an essential requirement in the current circumstances, he said, adding it is in favor of all the countries in the region.

Rouhani also claimed that Turkey targeted the Russian Su-24 warplane out of its airspace.

“Based on the intelligence we have obtained so far, the Russian plane was in the Syrian airspace when it was targeted,” he said. “Even assuming that the [Russian] plane approached Turkey’s airspace, missiles and planes are not toys that someone could just easily decide to use.”

He further said Turkey’s move was ‘highly dangerous.”

Rouhani noted that responsibility of such “provocative actions” and their consequences will legally fall on the shoulders of the one who has started them.

He further asked Turkey to be careful, as the situation is very sensitive.

Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jaber Ansari said earlier in day that any act that flouts a common will in fighting terrorism in Syria will further complicate the crisis in the country, referring to the incident.


“Such moves will act as hints to terrorists, indicating that they can commit more terrorist acts around the world.” Hmmmm......With loose canon Erdo around WWIII is possible anytime.

MORE: Rescued pilot of downed Su-24 says his plane didn't cross into Turkey’s airspace https://t.co/649F83MEzR pic.twitter.com/5gnvC77n0x

— RT (@RT_com) November 25, 2015

Erdogan claims Turkey does not want escalation with Russia.

Erdogan claims Turkey does not want escalation with Russia.(AW).

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said Turkey did not want any escalation with Russia over its downing of a Russian plane on the Syrian frontier but vowed to always defend Turkish borders.

"We have no intention to escalate this incident. We are just defending our security and the rights of our brothers," Erdogan said in a televised speech in Istanbul.

"Turkey has never favored tensions and crisis, it has and will always favour peace and dialogue," said Erdogan.


But he added: "No one should expect us to remain silent when our border security and our sovereignty are being violated."

Turkey said it shot down the Russian warplane after it repeatedly violated air space above the Turkish border. Moscow however insists that the plane never strayed from Syrian air space.

Erdogan said that the incident early on Tuesday showed "what kind of consequences careless steps could have". Hmmmm.......Kabuki theater. Read the full story here.

Turkish Army: Airspace violated 112 times by Greece, Italy and Israel in 12 months https://t.co/WGIZVzkpNj

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) November 24, 2015

MORE: Rescued pilot of downed Su-24 says his plane didn't cross into Turkey’s airspace https://t.co/649F83MEzR pic.twitter.com/5gnvC77n0x

— RT (@RT_com) November 25, 2015

“There is no such legal term ‘further from the Turkish border’. There is the term ‘Syrian airspace’. Kremlin Spokesman.

“There is no such legal term ‘further from the Turkish border’. There is the term ‘Syrian airspace’. Kremlin Spokesman. (RT).

Russia is not considering stopping airstrikes on terrorist targets close to the Turkish border after the downing of its plane by Turkish fighter jets, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“There is no such legal term ‘further from the Turkish border’. There is the term ‘Syrian airspace’. We would be happy if terrorists kept further from the Turkish border, but unfortunately they tend to stick just next to it,” he said.

He added that Russia still wants to form a wider coalition to fight against terrorism in Syria, but doubts that Turkey would commit to such an effort.

“As far as Turkey is concerned, one may doubt such cooperation would be possible, at least at the current phase. But of course this doesn’t apply to other members of the [US-led] coalition,” Peskov said.

He said the Russian and Turkish leadership haven’t been in contact with each other since the Su-24 bomber was shot down on Tuesday.“It [dialogue] is non-existent at the moment,” the spokesman told journalists.

The downing of the Russian warplane shows the world Turkey’s support of terrorism, which has been going on for years, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said after a meeting with Sergey Naryshkin, the speaker of the Russian parliament.

Turkey violated Syrian airspace while engaging the Russian warplane, he said. Hmmmm......The 'Red Line' has been drawn.....With Erdo around this can only end in total war. 

Video - Downing of Russian Su-24 looks like a planned operation - FM Lavrov

Downing of Russian Su-24 looks like a planned operation - FM Lavrov. (RT).

The Russian FM said the region where the incident happened is not just home to Turkmen people. There are also hundreds of foreign fighters affiliated with known terrorist groups and elements of their infrastructure such as weapons depots and command points there, he said.

“I asked [Turkish FM Çavuşoğlu] whether Turkey’s close attention to this region, including the calls to create a buffer zone there, was motivated by a desire to protect this infrastructure from destruction. I didn’t receive any reply to this question,” Lavrov said.

He added the downing of the Russian warplane occurred shortly after a series of airstrikes on terrorist oil convoys and facilities by the Russian Air Force. The incident “sheds new light” on the issue, according to the Russian foreign minister.

The Russian diplomat criticized NATO for failing to express condolences to Russia over the loss of its troops lives.

“Very strange statements were voiced after a NATO meeting called by the Turks, which didn’t express any regret or condolences and in effect were aimed at covering up what the Turkish Air Force did yesterday,” Lavrov said. “A similar reaction came from the European Union.”

Lavrov reiterated the statements of the Russian Defense Ministry, which denied Ankara’s allegations that the Russian warplane had violated Turkish airspace.

MORE: Rescued pilot of downed Su-24 says his plane didn't cross into Turkey’s airspace https://t.co/649F83MEzR pic.twitter.com/5gnvC77n0x

— RT (@RT_com) November 25, 2015

@MFS001 it's right.+hit rescue helicopter in this plan

— Военный Советник (@miladvisor) November 24, 2015

@miladvisor Convenient that Turkish news was there to film the whole event https://t.co/SnIfePRGr5

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) November 24, 2015

@20committee We were just there for bird watching when the #Russian plane was shot down. :) https://t.co/A5RTvHM1hy

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) November 24, 2015

Turkish Army: Airspace violated 112 times by Greece, Italy and Israel in 12 months https://t.co/WGIZVzkpNj

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) November 24, 2015

Russian missile cruiser Moskva off Latakia coast, ready to destroy dangerous air targets - Russian Defense Minister.

Russian missile cruiser Moskva off Latakia coast, ready to destroy dangerous air targets - Russian Defense Minister. (RT).

Russia has deployed a missile cruiser near Latakia and is ready to take down any aerial targets threatening its airbase near the Syrian city, with long-range surface-to-air missiles.

The move was announced on Tuesday after Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber conducting an anti-terrorist mission in Syria. Ankara claims it engaged the warplane over a violation of Turkey’s airspace, but Moscow denies any violation and accused Turkey of aiding terrorists in Syria.

The Moskva cruiser, stationed in Latakia as part of the military buildup, is a 11,500-ton, 186-meter warship serving as part of the Russian Black Sea fleet. In addition to anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine mortars and torpedoes, it has 64 Fort missiles, the naval version of the S-300 long-range air defense system. The missiles can engage targets at a range of up to 150km, which is enough to cover all of southern Turkey from Latakia.

In response to the incident, the Russian military in Syria has ramped up security. All Russian bombers will now be accompanied by fighter jets to protect them from possible aggression. Russia also warned that it would destroy any aircraft threatening Russian forces deployed in the Middle Eastern country. Hmmm.........The 'Sick man from Europe' has become the 'Crazy man of Europe' God help us all.

Russian Pres. Putin: Turkey backstabbed Russia by downing the Russian warplane and acted as accomplices of the terrorists.

Russian Pres. Putin: Downing of Russian jet over Syria stab in the back by terrorist accomplices. (RT).

Turkey backstabbed Russia by downing the Russian warplane and acted as accomplices of the terrorists, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

The plane was hit by a Turkish warplane as it was travelling 1 km away from the Turkish border, Putin said. The plane posed no threat to Turkish national security, he stressed.

Putin said the plane was targeting terrorist targets in the Latakia province of Syria, many of whom came from Russia.

Russia noticed of the flow of oil from Syrian territory under the control of terrorists to Turkey, Putin said.

Apparently, IS now not only receives revenue from the smuggling of oil, but also has the protection of a nation’s military, Putin said. This may explain why the terrorist group is so bold in taking acts of terrorism across the world, he added.

The incident will have grave consequences for Russia’s relations with Turkey, Putin warned.

The fact that Turkey did not try to contact Russia in the wake of the incident and rushed to call a NATO meeting instead is worrisome, Putin said. It appears that Turkey want NATO to serve the interests of IS, he added.

Putin said Russia respects the regional interests of other nations, but warned the atrocity committed by Turkey would not go without an answer.

a Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down by Turkish fighter jets near the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkey claimed that the plane violated Turkish airspace and did not respond to warnings. Ankara said it was rightfully acting to defend its sovereignty.

Russia insists that the plane stayed in the Syrian airspace.

One of the two pilots of the downed Russian warplane was reported killed by a rebel group as he was parachuting down on the ground after ejecting from the plane. The fate of the second pilot remains unknown. Hmmmm......Finally someone said what we all knew and were thinking. How far will Obama go to protect his BFF?

Response of #Russian MoD (from the official FB page) pic.twitter.com/iYkwF6Hu0q

— J. Faraday (@CTstudies) November 24, 2015

Moscow warns Ankara of "inevitable consequences" for attack on Su-24 https://t.co/rq5rWsij5l

— TASS (@tassagency_en) November 24, 2015

@MFS001 @EjmAlrai They tweeted it and delete the Tweet later. Scrren Shoot thanks to @cahitstorm pic.twitter.com/actY14whDE

— Juliane Meyer (@JulianeMeyerK) November 24, 2015

@EjmAlrai Good morning Eli, Erdo is crazy enough to draw the whole NATO in to the war for his personal ambitions of a turkmen statelet

— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) November 24, 2015

Turkmen Commander: We shot both pilots dead as they parachuted after the shoot down. Their dead bodies are here. #Russianplane

— BerNa (@bzgncl) November 24, 2015

#Turkmen rebel fighters in #Syria tell @cnnturk that they shot & killed both #Russian pilots as they parachuted out of hit Su-24.

— Emre Peker (@wsjemre) November 24, 2015

9. #Turkey recalled the #Russia/n Ambassador to protest against "its presence close to the border" just after the attack on Turkmen & oil +

— Elijah J. Magnier (@EjmAlrai) November 24, 2015

Putin: Ankara to discuss this tragedy with NATO as if it was Russia who shot down their jet. Does Turkey want NATO to serve ISIS goals?

— Военный Советник (@miladvisor) November 24, 2015

Decision to shoot down Russian warplane was made personally by the Turkish prime minister

— Военный Советник (@miladvisor) November 24, 2015

P.S. Vice Chairman of #US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Paul J. #Selva is in #Ankara as #Turkey shot down a Russian plane

— Mete Sohtaoğlu (@metesohtaoglu) November 24, 2015

Putin adviser SergeiMarkov tells @AJEnglish he thinks #RussianJet was shot as revenge for destroying 1000 oil trucks @HalaJaber @EjmAlrai

— Dr Subroto Roy (@subyroy) November 24, 2015

Countries guilty of letting loose calamity of #ISIS on the world: 1. #SaudiArabia 2. #Turkey 3. #Pakistan 4. #Qatar #ExpelTurkeyFromNATO

— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) November 24, 2015

Russian security forces eliminate alleged ISIS-affiliated group in North Caucasus.

Russian security forces eliminate alleged ISIS-affiliated group in North Caucasus. (RBTH).

A local gang affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) group, which is banned in Russia, has been eliminated in the North Caucasus by Russian law-enforcement agencies, the National Anti-Terrorist Committee has reported.

The special operation conducted on Nov. 22 in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic (1,000 miles south of Moscow) by Federal Security Service officers was the biggest in recent months in terms of the number of militants killed, with 11 individuals neutralized.


The gang was reportedly assisting local residents who wanted to fight alongside ISIS by assisting them in traveling to Syria, as well as plotting terrorist attacks in the North Caucasus. Numerous firearms, cartridges, components for making improvised explosive devices and two ready IEDs were seized in the gang's hideout.

On their website, local Islamists denied reports that those killed were affiliated with ISIS. According to them, those militants had not pledged allegiance to ISIS but, on the contrary, in their manifestos and other materials there is a lot of criticism of ISIS and sympathy for its rival Al-Qaeda (also banned in Russia).

The only militant in Kabardino-Balkaria to have publicly pledged allegiance to ISIS was a Robert Zankishiev, the Islamists maintain. Zankishiev was killed in a security operation on Nov. 10, 2015.

"The whole world is now fighting against ISIS and nobody is too keen to admit that they belong to that [terrorist group] or in any way support it," the former head of the now defunct Siberian Military District and of the Defense Ministry's contingent in Chechnya, Maj-Gen. Sergei Kanchukov, told RBTH.


However, he said, the Russian security agencies are unlikely to make claims like these until they have been verified: There must have been reliable information that Kabardino-Balkar residents are indeed in Syria and have joined terrorist forces there.

"I don't think that the special operation was planned much in advance. The law-enforcement agencies may have learned about that hideout some time ago but decided to raid it when the whole gang got together or when there were tip-offs of terrorist attacks being prepared," said Kanchukov.

Video - Turkish Soccer Fans Chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ During Moment of Silence for Paris Victims.

8 percent of Turks have favorable opinion of #ISIL, #Pew poll shows https://t.co/M9GdxUQECc pic.twitter.com/YRD1JoDljU

— Today's Zaman (@todayszamancom) November 18, 2015

Germany’s former Chief of General Staff: "Turkey trying to drag NATO in Syrian war for it's own parochial interests'.

Germany’s former Chief of General Staff: "Turkey trying to drag NATO in Syrian war for it's own parochial interests'. (TOI).

#BREAKING U.S Sec of State Kerry says they are entering operation with #Turkey to secure northern Syria border

— CNN Türk ENG (@CNNTURK_ENG) November 17, 2015

In a Nov. 9 interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said a ground forces operation in Syria could be possible to establish a buffer zone, but Turkey would not conduct it alone.

“[A] ground forces [campaign] is something which we have to talk [about] together and share…there’s a need of an integrated strategy, including an air campaign and ground troops.” Davutoglu added that Turkey alone cannot take on this burden.

A Turkish security source said such an operation is unlikely without support from the UN Security Council or NATO Council. Interestingly, almost exactly a year ago on Oct. 8, 2014, Germany’s former Chief of General Staff and NATO chairman of the Military Committee, General Harald Kujat (ret.), criticized that Turkey is trying to drag NATO into a Syrian war for its own parochial interests.

In an interview on “Anne Will” ARD-TV broadcast, and stating almost the same words that Davutoglu said on CNN, General Kujat said “look, that’s what Turkey wants to provoke [NATO Article 5]. Therefore it keeps saying ‘we can’t do that alone, others have to participate.’”

In face of then ISIS massacre of Kobane Kurds, he continued bluntly: “Turkey basically wants to drag NATO into this situation because the actual goal of Turkey is to neutralize Assad…ISIS’s actions and what’s happening to the Kurds are subsidiary…and it has to be clearly said that an ally who behaves like this doesn’t deserve the protection of this alliance, an ally who doesn’t intervene for protection in a such tragic situation doesn’t deserve protection himself.”

The former NATO general recommended removing Patriot batteries from Turkey to send a signal, and in August 2015 they were removed.

Regarding the Patriot missiles, German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau said: “Politically, the mission did not serve anything. The Turkish government is more concerned with its own interests, not with those of the alliance.”

On whether Turkey could invoke the mutual defense clause if its military were deployed to Syrian territory to set up a buffer zone, General Kujat said “if Turkish troops were to conduct operations in Syria without Syria’s permission and without a UN mandate and then be attacked this would never amount to a casus foederis (Article 5).”

Thus, in the absence of a NATO Article 5, would Turkey be able to acquire a UNSC mandate for a buffer zone/no-fly zone similar to Libya?

That would likely depend on whether the buffer zone is really for humanitarian purposes.

On a practical level, the buffer zone in Syria’s Aleppo region is an illusive haven. By definition a safe zone maintains neutrality in a military conflict, but the positioning of armed opposition groups in the safe zone will turn the area into a prime target.

Moreover, claims that on 10 August Turkish military forces entered the planned zone in Syria along with the Sultan Murat Brigade, which is composed of Turkmens, presents a worrying picture when taken in conjunction with pro-government media that proclaimed Aleppo as the 82nd province of Turkey.

According to Hurriyet Daily, Erdogan is using the Turkmen card again especially when nationalist sentiments are on the rise, so that “any attack on our Turkmen brothers in the safe zone could easily spark a military clash and drag Turkey into war.”

However, the article ended “do we really want to fight for an 82nd province?”

And this is a serious issue for consideration not just for the people in Turkey, but for US and coalition forces that are considering a Syrian “buffer zone.” Do they want to risk their troops lives and fight for Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman ambitions for an 82nd province?

Moreover, do they want to be complicit in carving out a safe haven in northwest Syria for Erdogan’s Army of Conquest that consists of militant groups from Central Asia, China and Russia? Hmmmmm.......Don't forget Hitler and WWII also started with the 'Anschluss' Read the full story here.

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