ANKARA, 27 October 2021, (TON): The Turkish parliament at a meeting extended for two years the permission to use the Turkish armed forces in Iraq and Syria , the results of the vote show.

According to the decision of the parliament, the mandate for the use of the Turkish Armed Forces in Iraq and Syria was extended until October 2023.

This decision was supported by deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey, as well as the nationalist Party of the National Movement, the opposition Republican People’s Party and the pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy Party opposed.

The Turkish parliament in October 2014 for the first time gave permission for the use of national armed forces in Syria and Iraq.

ABU DHABI, 27 October 2021, (TON): Israel is holding its largest-ever air force exercise this week, joined by several Western countries and India, with the United Arab Emirates’s air force chief set to inspect the drills.

Amir Lazar, chief of Israeli air force operations, told reporters the drills “don’t focus on Iran”, but army officials have said the Islamic republic remains Israel’s top strategic threat and at the centre of much of its military planning.

Israel has held the so-called “Blue Flag” exercises every two years since 2013 in the Negev desert. Some preliminary exercises began last week.

Other nations taking part this year include France, the United States and Germany, as well as Britain, whose aircraft flew over Israeli territory for the first time since the Jewish state’s creation in 1948.

With more than 70 fighter jets, including Mirage 2000s, Rafales and F-16s and some 1,500 personnel participating, the drills are the largest-ever held in Israel, Lazar told reporters at the southern Ovda airbase.

While UAE aircraft are not flying in the drills, Lazar said the visit from the country’s air force chief, set for Tuesday, was “very significant”.

Lazar said “the agreements that saw Israel normalise ties last year with several Arab countries, including the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, “opened a variety of opportunities.”

He said that Israel “was looking forward to hosting the Emirates air force” in the future.

Shared concern over common foe Iran was widely seen as a factor that spurred the UAE towards Israel.

ABUJA, 27 October 2021, (TON): At least 18 worshippers were killed by gunmen who attacked a mosque in northern Nigeria during early morning prayers, local authorities and police told media.

The attack took place in Mazakuka village in Mashegu local government area of the country’s Niger state. The attackers, believed to be ethnic Fulani nomadic herders, were able to escape.

Similar ethnic violence, which has led to hundreds of deaths so far this year, stems from a decades-long conflict over access to water and land. Some of the Fulani caught up in that conflict have taken up arms against local Hausa farming communities.

He said another four people were injured “the gunmen came around the mosque and started shooting them,” Alhassan Isah, chairman of Mashegu local government area told The AP.”

Niger police commissioner Monday Kuryas said the attack was related to the conflict between the villagers and the Fulani herders.

The latest attack is another example of the troubled security situation in most states in Nigeria’s northwest and central regions. The northwest in particular has been witnessing a spike in deadly violence.

DHAKA, 27 October 2021, (TON): Bangladesh Armed Forces and US Army Pacific began a three-day disaster response exercise on search and rescue operations after earthquake at Army Golf Club in the city.

An ISPR press release said “the theme of the exercise titled ‘Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange’ is Resilience through Preparedness.”

State minister for disaster management and relief Enamur Rahman inaugurated the exercise as the chief guest.

Armed Forces Division principal staff officer Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, disaster management and relief ministry secretary Md Mohsin and US Army Pacific’s Major General Reginald GA Neal were present at the inaugural function, among others.

More than 300 participants from 147 institutions of 23 countries across the world are taking part in the exercise DREE Bangladesh 2021.

DHAKA, 27 October 2021, (TON): Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen has said that the United Nations is a great institution to help humanity and no one should abuse the advantage of its universality and acceptability.

He said “Let the rays of hope that our forefathers kindled 76 years ago brighten our path and guide us towards a peaceful and prosperous future we want.”

The foreign minister was addressing a commemorative event on Monday evening in celebration of the UN Day.

Momen said they needed to strengthen the organisation to cater to the needs of all people and to reflect the voice of every country, not only of a few.

He said “as we are reeling with the pandemic, more than ever before we share a common destiny. More than ever before we need to unite as we the people.”

The foreign minister said “they are looking forward to a meaningful outcome from the Glasgow Conference.”

He said “we are helpful, we must take decisive action now, not tomorrow. Together, we must find a way to reduce harmful emissions to net zero by 2050.”

Momen said that they must keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.

NAYPYITAW, 27 October 2021, (TON): Three men including a member of the Arakan Front Party (AFP) were arrested in Rakhine State after they were accused of having connections to local People’s Defence Forces (PDFs).

Sein Chit, a 42-year-old agency member, was arrested at his home in Thandwe on October 9, with lawsuits filed against him the following day alleging he had violated Sections 50a and 52a of the Counterterrorism Law, according to Khin Hnin Phyu, his wife.

The first charge carries a prison sentence of 10 years to life if convicted with the second being three to 10 years. 

The sections ban acts of “serious damage and loss” to public security or property.

She said “we still don’t know anything for sure. They said he had ties with or was helping the PDF.”

While PDF chapters have formed nationwide within the anti-junta resistance movement in the months since Myanmar’s February 1 military coup, at the time of reporting, PDFs were not known to operate in Rakhine State.

The primary armed group in the state is the Arakan Army, which entered into a ceasefire agreement with the military in November 2020.

NAYPYITAW, 27 October 2021, (TON): Rallies in support of the military council took place in several cities across Myanmar on Monday and Tuesday as a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders commenced with Myanmar’s junta chief blocked from attendance.

According to local sources “the events were held in more than a dozen locations in military-dominated areas of Naypyitaw, Mandalay and Yangon regions and in Kachin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan states.”

While pro-democracy protests have attracted hundreds of thousands of people nationwide and been met with brutal suppression by the military—rallies in support of the army have been increasingly rare since they seized power in the February 1 coup.

According to a local media outlet Western News “around 100 family members of military personnel in Rakhine State’s Kyaukphyu held a rally.”

Demonstrators were seen holding banners stating, “We Fully Support the Caretaker Government” and “We Stand With Our Defence Services.”

Citing a local resident, the report also said that a similar rally of around 70 people was held in Taungup on the same morning.

KABUL, 26 October 2021, (TON): On United Nations Day and is commemorated amid controversy over Afghanistan’s seat in the UN. Afghanistan officially joined United Nations in 1946.

Following the collapse of the former government, the Islamic Emirate introduced its Doha-based spokesperson Suhail Shahen as Afghanistan’s permanent representative to the UN, but the UN did not accept his appointment.

Ghulam Mohammad Ishaqzai, representative of the former government to the UN, currently represents Afghanistan in the world body.

Shaheen said that based on international law, Afghanistan’s seat in the UN should be given to the Islamic Emirate.

Shaheen said “Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations should be given to the Islamic Emirate.”

“Because one of the main conditions is the support of the people–(the Islamic Emirate) has it. It has full control on Afghanistan and it is capable of defending the people and the country.”

KABUL, 26 October 2021, (TON): Mujahid said in a statement posted on Twitter “the Taliban have appointed Zabiullah Mujahid as the movement’s main spoke-sman, as well as introduced his three deputies.”

Members of the movement Ahmadullah Wasik, Inamullah Habibi Saman-gani and Sahib Asadullah, better known as Bilal Ka-rimi, became the deputy chief representatives of the Taliban.

The statement said “the main representative of the Islamic Emirate And three of his deputies were represented. The main representative of the Islamic Emirate is Zabiullah Mujahid.”

Earlier, Mujahid was one of the representatives of the movement and in September became the deputy minister of culture and information of the interim government of Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD, 26 October 2021, (TON): A day after the historic defeat to the Indian cricket team in Dubai, Prime Minister Imran Khan has mocked New Delhi while discussing the economic benefits of improving ties with India by resolving the long-standing Kashmir dispute.

“I know after last night thrashing by the Pakistan team in the cricket match it’s not a very good time to talk about improving relations with India,” the premier said on Monday while referring to Green Shirts' historic win against India in the T20 World Cup.

The prime minister was addressing the Saudi-Pak Investment Forum organised in cooperation with the Saudi Ministry of Investment in Riyadh.

The Investment Forum was attended by senior representatives of the leading Saudi companies and entrepreneurs as well as Pakistani businessmen.

PM Imran said “Pakistan’s strategic location having two biggest markets in the neighbourhood and connectivity with Central Asia through Afghanistan provided a real opportunity to investors to take benefit.”

PM Imran said “if Islamabad and New Delhi resolve the Kashmir dispute in line with the UN resolutions both the nations can reap economic benefits of enhanced regional connectivity.”