Turkiye working with 20 countries in Lebanon evacuation preparations

Passengers disembark a Bulgarian government evacuation flight from Lebanon at Sofia airport on September 30, 2024. (AFP)
Passengers disembark a Bulgarian government evacuation flight from Lebanon at Sofia airport on September 30, 2024. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 28 sec ago
Follow

Turkiye working with 20 countries in Lebanon evacuation preparations

Passengers disembark a Bulgarian government evacuation flight from Lebanon at Sofia airport on September 30, 2024. (AFP)
  • Foreign Ministry said a coordination center had been set up to handle evacuation requests in line with the plans made by Turkish institutions

ANKARA: Turkiye is ready to carry out a possible evacuation of Turks from Lebanon via air and sea, and is working with around 20 countries on preparing for a possible evacuation of foreign nationals via Turkiye, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
It said the security conditions in Lebanon could deteriorate, as Israel launched a ground incursion into south Lebanon, and added a coordination center had been set up to handle evacuation requests in line with the plans made by Turkish institutions.
“The guidelines for the evacuation of foreign nationals via our country have also been set, the necessary preparations are being carried out with around 20 countries that have requested support so far,” it said. 


Iranian attack on Israel may be at least as big as one in April, US official says

Updated 15 sec ago
Follow

Iranian attack on Israel may be at least as big as one in April, US official says

Iranian attack on Israel may be at least as big as one in April, US official says
Iran appeared to be preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel

WASHINGTON: Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel could be as big or potentially bigger than the one in April, if it goes ahead, although that assessment is based on initial indications and it is difficult to be certain, a US official told Reuters on Tuesday.
US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters earlier on Tuesday that Iran appeared to be preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel.

Israel carries out strikes in Beirut, southern suburbs, sources say

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP)
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP)
Updated 21 min 50 sec ago
Follow

Israel carries out strikes in Beirut, southern suburbs, sources say

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP)

BEIRUT: Israel carried out two attacks on Beirut on Tuesday afternoon, striking the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital and the city’s southern entrance, two security sources said.
A high-rise building was hit in the city’s Jnah area, the sources said.
The Israeli military said it was targeting the Lebanese capital and had carried out a “precise strike.”


Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison

Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison
Updated 01 October 2024
Follow

Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison

Tunisia presidential candidate Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison
  • It was the third prison sentence imposed on Ayachi Zammel in two weeks
  • Zammel, head of the opposition Azimoun party, has been jailed since last month

TUNIS: A Tunisian court sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to 12 years in prison on Tuesday, amid growing opposition anger against President Kais Saied, whose critics accuse him of using the judiciary to sideline his opponents.

It was the third prison sentence imposed on Zammel in two weeks, just five days before the presidential election in which he is one of just two candidates permitted to stand against Saied. Three other high profile opposition figures were barred.

Abdessattar Massoudi, Zammel’s lawyer, said that Zammel was sentenced to 12 years in prison by Tunis court on charges of document falsification. Massoudi described the verdict as “unfair and a farce.”

Zammel, head of the opposition Azimoun party, has been jailed since last month on charges of falsifying voter signatures on his candidacy paperwork, accusations he described as manufactured by Saied’s government. He has been allowed to continue to stand in the election while jailed.

Political tensions in the North African country have risen ahead of the Oct. 6 election since an electoral commission named by Saied disqualified three other prominent candidates last month, amid protests by opposition and civil society groups.

Tunisia was the only Arab country to emerge with a peaceful democracy from the 2011 “Arab Spring” protests against autocratic rulers across the Middle East and North Africa.

But since being elected in 2019, Saied has gradually amassed greater powers, arguing that he needs them to combat a corrupt elite. He dissolved the elected parliament and began ruling by decree in 2021, a move the opposition described as a coup.

The electoral commission has rejected a ruling by Tunisia’s administrative court to reinstate the barred candidates for the upcoming election. Lawmakers loyal to Saied then approved a law stripping the administrative court of authority over election disputes.

The opposition and civil society groups called for a mass protest on Friday against what they describe as Saied’s authoritarian rule, and said they would continue escalation and demonstrations.


Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says

Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says
Updated 01 October 2024
Follow

Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says

Israeli forces have carried out raids in Lebanon for months, military says
  • Hagari said the details were being declassified
  • Dozens of such operations had uncovered detailed plans by Hezbollah to enter Israel

JERUSALEM: Israeli forces have been carrying out raids into southern Lebanon for months, uncovering Hezbollah tunnels and weapon caches under homes and uncovering invasion plans by the group, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday.

Hagari said the details were being declassified, hours after Israel announced a ground operation against the Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon.
Dozens of such operations had uncovered detailed plans by Hezbollah to enter Israel and carry out an attack similar to the one led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year.

The findings and evidence discovered under homes in villages in southern Lebanon during the raids will be presented to the international community, Hagari said. He presented videos from soldiers’ body-cameras and maps.

Later, the Israeli military said it was calling up four additional reserve brigades for operational missions on the northern border with Lebanon.

“This will enable the continuation of operational activity against the Hezbollah terrorist organization and the achievement of operational goals, including the safe return of residents of northern Israel to their homes,” the military said in a statement.


KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year

KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year
Updated 01 October 2024
Follow

KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year

KLM halts all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of the year

AMSTERDAM: Dutch airline KLM has suspended all flights to Tel Aviv until the end of this year at least, the Dutch arm of airline group Air France KLM said on Tuesday.
The airline had previously cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until Oct. 26 because of heightened tensions in the region.
KLM does not operate flights to Beirut.