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Kurdish forces kiled Two Turkish soldiers & six wounded in the southeast Nusaybin district

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DHA photo

DHA photo

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)  killed two soldiers, wounding six people, including journalists, in a bomb attack on a military vehicle in the Nusaybin district of Mardin, a southeastern province. 

Specialist sergeant Gökhan Alıcı was killed at the scene, while specialist sergeant Emre Sarıtaş succumbed to his injuries at Nusaybin Hospital, where he was taken along with the other wounded.

A curfew has been underway in Nusaybin for the past two weeks and military operations against the militants continue in the district.

Meanwhile, Salih Zeki Çetinkaya, the local head of a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) district branch in the eastern province of Erzurum who was abducted by PKK March 29, managed to escape in the early morning on March 31 from a cave where he was being held.

The head of the İspir district ran away while the militants were sleeping, said the party’s Erzurum province head March 31, adding that he was in a good health.

Çetinkaya was abducted after his car was stopped by PKK  when he was traveling from Erzurum to the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa.

April/01/2016

Grasping Straws: New Accusation May ‘Acquit’ Turkey’s Cumhuriyet Journalist

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1037339217New allegations against Turkey’s Cumhuriyet journalists in a controversial secret trial could only further unravel the case, one of the defendants, Can Dundar, told Sputnik Turkiye.

Journalist Can Dundar, who is on trial in Turkey for “espionage,” told Sputnik that the case against him is starting to collapse, as prosecutors are beginning to grasp for leads that could lead to his acquittal.

Can Dundar, the chief editor of the newspaper Cumhuriyet and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul were put on trial for releasing footage of the Turkish intelligence agency MIT smuggling arms into Syria. After Dundar said that he got the footage on a thumb drive from a “left-wing legislator friend,” a Turkish pro-government newspaper proposed that the man is Enis Berberoglu, head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP).

“I think they have tried everything. We have been called both agents and supporters of the Gulen movement. They’ve searched our apartments. They said that I was interviewed on air on a Kurdish TV channel. They are trying to use any clue to find anything that could put us behind bars. It is strange that this time they began to spin the story with speculations about Enis Berberoglu. After all, in fact, that can provide us with an acquittal,” Dundar told Sputnik Turkiye.

Fethullah Gulen is a Turkish preacher living in exile in the United States, who initially sided with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but broke with him after the 2013 corruption scandal.

Dundar added that he would not disclose his source out of journalistic principle, although the source told him that he could be named and brought as a witness.

“Is it not they who were accused of releasing information on the corruption scandal. I am a journalist, whose business is it, where I get the information? My source is not related to Gulenists,” Dundar told Sputnik Turkiye.

Although Turkey’s Supreme Court ruled that Dundar be freed, the case against him was still pursued. It was originally put on hold and ordered to proceed behind closed doors on March 25.

The Cumhuriyet newspaper’s website was also blocked by a Turkish court order, after it released information about the indictment of a Turkish businessman with links to Bilal Erdogan, son of the Turkish President. The businessman was jailed in the United States on a case linked to the 2013 Turkish corruption scandal.

Read more: sputniknews.com

Turkey looting trade Syrian Artifacts’ via ISIS ‘Department of document exposes antique (RT EXCLUSIVE)

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Artefct stolen by TurksWatch RT video

A new trove of documents, obtained by an RT Documentary crew who recently uncovered details of illicit ISIS oil business with Turkey, sheds light on jihadists’ lucrative trade of looted antiquities along their well-established oil and weapons transit routes.

There is no official accounting that would illustrate the true scale of looting being undertaken in Syria, a land once rich with cultural treasures. However, there is no doubt that since radical Islamists established a foothold in the region under raging civil war, pieces of the world’s global heritage have ended up in the hands of terrorists.

Along with oil smuggling, a lucrative trade in antiquities has become ISIS’s source of income to support its devastating operations, many of which leveled unique historic sites such as Palmyra. Artifacts, some worth thousands of dollars apiece, have been turning up in antique markets from eastern Europe to the US.

Following the exposure of the details of the ISIS oil business, RT has exclusively obtained additional evidence that sheds light on the jihadists’ black market of plundered treasures and its transit routes via Turkey.

According to a document that the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) turned over to an RT Documentary crew, the so-called Ministry of Natural Resources established by ISIS to hold grip of the oil operations has a separate “Department of Artifacts.”

“One of the new documents is a note that has the same letterhead of ISIS’s Ministry of Natural Resources as the oil bills of sale, which we discussed last time,” a reporter, whose name and face have been obscured for security reasons, explained. The letterhead, similar to those found on oil invoices that Kurdish soldiers seized from what used to be the homes of IS fighters, is visible in the upper-right corner of the newly obtained document.

The note, apparently addressed to checkpoint sentries, asks “brothers at the border” to allow a Turkish antiquity seller into Syria for the purposes of mutual profit. It reads:

“To the brother responsible for the border, Please assist the passage of brother Hussein Hania Sarira through your post along with the man from Turkey – the artifacts trader, for the purpose of working with us in the department of artifacts in the Ministry of Natural Resources. May Allah bless you, Loving brother Abu Uafa At-Tunisi.”

While filming in the town of Shaddadi, located in the Syrian province Hasakah, RT reporters came across archaeological pieces, fragments of various ceramic pots. Abandoned in a tunnel, which ISIS fighters fled through, they were discovered by the Kurdish YPG troops after they liberated Shaddadi from jihadists in the February 2016.

No one knows where those objects originally came from, but Kurdish fighters also found an old map in French, which could date as far back as colonial times. It indicates the excavation grounds.

Besides providing revealing insight into ISIS money-making, the note supports the previous suppositions that ISIS is selling artifacts via the same trade route, which, according to what RT’s crew was told, it used to bring across weapons and supplies, right under Ankara’s nose.

The fact of Turkey’s lax control and inaction has been recalled by a young fighter in an operational video that RT also obtained from the YPG. He was filmed after being captured by Kurdish troops at the border town of Tel Abyad, which was formerly a trade corridor between Turkey and ISIS.

“They sent me to serve in Tel Abyad on the Turkish border. Sometimes we even crossed the Turkish border and served there. We saw the Turkish army passing by, but there was never any kind of conflict between us,” militant Abu Ayub al-Ansari said.

‘Kurdish advance cut ISIS communication lines with Turkish security services’

The captured terrorist admitted that losing Tel Abyad had dealt a severe blow to Islamic State activities and its trade routes, as well as direct commutation lines with representatives of Turkish security services.

“When the Kurdish militia took over Tel Abyad, the connection was lost and foreign fighters could not get in,” the Islamist fighter testified. “The communication with the Turkish security services was broken, we could only communicate via civilians or spies.”

Assad says Erdogan’s army fighting in Syria

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56fd2163c3618872368b4585The army of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently fighting in Syria, but the country is ready to respond to the aggression, Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an exclusive interview with Sputnik.

Turkey, as well as Saudi Arabia, have “crossed all possible red lines, possibly from the first weeks of the Syrian war,” Assad said.

“Today, the war against Erdogan and against Saudi Arabia is a war against terrorists. The Turkish army, which is not even Turkish, is Erdogan’s army that is fighting today in Syria,” he added.

Everything that Ankara and Riyadh “have done from the very beginning can be considered aggression. Aggression in a political sense or in a military sense – providing terrorists with arms – or direct aggression with the use of artillery, and other military violations,” he stressed

Erdogan is directly supporting the terrorists as “he allows them to move into Turkish territory, to carry out maneuvers with tanks,” the Syrian president said.

“This concerns not only individuals, he finances them [terrorists] through Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and through Turkey itself, of course,” he said.

According to Assad, his Turkish counterpart “trades oil that has been stolen by IS (Islamic State, Daesh), at the same time carrying out artillery attacks against the Syrian army – when it moves close – in order to help the terrorists.”

According to the President, countermeasures to Turkey’s aggressive actions must first of all take place within Syrian territory.

Successful strikes against terrorists in the country will lead to the failure of policies pursued by Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he added.

“They are terrorists and when we attack these terrorists in Syria, this leads to Erdogan’s direct defeat,” Assad said.

However, Assad stressed that there was no dispute between the peoples of Syria and Turkey.

The relations between the two countries will be “good” if Erdogan stops interfering in Syrian affairs, he explained.

During the interview, Assad also expressed readiness to call an early presidential election in Syria if the people desire one.

“This depends on the Syrian people’s stance, on whether there is a popular will to hold early presidential elections. If there is such a will, this is not a problem for me. It is natural to respond to the will of the people and not to that of certain opposition forces,” he said.

“The president cannot work without the people’s support,” the Syrian leader added.

If the election takes place, every Syrian citizen, including those who left because of war, should be able to take part in the voting, he said.

“This issue concerns every Syrian citizen because every citizen votes for the president,” Assad stressed.

Assad also recalled his surprise visit to Moscow last autumn, which came less than two weeks after Russia began its bombing campaign against the terrorists in Syria on September 30, 2015.

“That visit was made under special circumstances,” he said, adding that no documents were signed during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The talks in the Russian capital mainly revolved around two issues: “Firstly, the military operation, which had begun at the time, and as a consequence, the need to strike a blow at terrorism. Secondly, we focused on how we could use the military operation to support the political process,” the Syrian president told Sputnik.

ANCA Urges Action by Obama on Turkish Government Confiscation of St. Giragos Church

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surpgiragos_barsoumianWASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America has communicated the Armenian American community’s profound concern to the U.S. government regarding reports that the Turkish government has confiscated the recently restored St. Giragos (Surp Giragos) Armenian Church and a range of other religious sites in the Diyarbakir region of present-day Turkey, as part of a broader “emergency expropriation” decision of over 6000 properties in the area.

In response to ANCA inquiries, a senior Obama Administration official, speaking on background, noted that the U.S. Embassy in Ankara and consulates in Adana and Istanbul are closely tracking the recent cabinet decree and have, in recent days, raised the matter with both the central government and local authorities. The Turkish government has informed U.S. officials that the decree is “a bureaucratic measure” to facilitate the restoration of structures damaged during fighting in recent months. This official noted that legal challenges have already been filed against this action in local courts.

“We welcome this initial U.S. engagement with the Turkish government regarding the confiscation of Surp Giragos and encourage a strong, public American response to this most recent Turkish attack on religious freedom,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “In light of Turkey’s brutal record of destroying and desecrating Armenian religious and cultural heritage, it is clear that this latest action represents a renewed attack by Erdogan on Christian communities, a continuation of Ankara’s efforts to erase the ancient Christian legacy within its present-day borders, and, ultimately – more than a century after 1915 – a further consolidation by Turkey of the fruits of the Armenian Genocide.”

Alarm bells regarding the confiscation were first raised by the Turkish-Armenian newspaper “Agos,” citing the March 25 issue of the Official Gazette of the Republic of Turkey (T.C. Resmi Gazete), the country’s official journal that publishes new legislation and official announcements. In addition to Surb Giragos, the Surp Sarkis Chaldean Church, the Virgin Mary Ancient Assyrian Church, and the city’s Protestant church have also reportedly been expropriated, according to “Agos”.

Armenians from around the world flocked to Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir on Oct. 22, 2011, to attend both the reconsecration of the largest Armenian church in the Middle East and the Badarak held the following day. The church was renovated by the Surp Giragos Armenian Foundation, with the support of the local Kurdish-controlled municipality of the time. Following news of the expropriation, Raffi Bedrosyan, a member of the Surp Giragos Church reconstruction project told “The Armenian Weekly” that there will be a strong effort to reclaim the lands. “All legal and political channels will be mobilized within Turkey and internationally to stop this legalized robbery,” said Bedrosyan.

Civil society groups, local authorities and elected officials, including Turkish Parliament member of Armenian descent Garo Paylan have already registered official inquiries with authorities, with additional court cases expected.

Wally’s respond to Turkish columnist YİNANÇ, she complain Obama opted not to attend opening of Turkish mega Mosque with Erdogan

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Erdogan noking OBAMADear BARÇIN YİNANÇ,

How bizarre you complain  about the $100 million dollar Turkish complex the largest mega Turkish mosque in the world in the capital of Christian country USA, While Turkey Destroyed thousands of Christians Churches, just before Erdogan left Ankara he expropriated three christian churches,

The Turks completely wiped out the entire Christians population from Anatolia covert her crime by changing the name to Turkey which Turkey as a country never existed before 1923. Turks never in their entire history co-existed with any other people always conquered, occupied, Ethnically cleansed, massacred.

You have the audacity to complain, that Obama opted to miss that chance to stand side-by-side with the leader of a majority Muslim country . you talk about the majority Muslim country Turkey, But you never ask yourself how Turkey became majority Muslim country, Turks did it by ethnically cleansing and massacring the Christians population and converted them to Turks. remember even the Muslim Kurds until few years ago you call them mountain Turks.

You write A photo op in front of a mosque symbolizes two leaders of countries that share the same values and the same visions; really Turkey symbolize the same value as United state, Please as we speak Turkey is massacring thousands of Muslim Kurds man women and children, Look what Turkey did to Syria hundreds of thousands dead, millions of refugees and moreover Turkey blackmail  Europe with opening the floodgate of refugees that Turkey created and turned  the misfortunes of the refugees to a Turkish gold mine  bribing the EU nations with 6 Billion Euro and Visa Free to 80 millions Turks. look at Turkey’s neighbors everyone of them you have problem with.

The problem is that the American people have no idea how large is the Turkish complex it is much larger than US Capitol and white house together that’s how big is and why Turkey need such gigantic complex  obviously it is for Turkification of United State of America, comparing Turkish population in USA they are most smallest ethnic group so why Turkey need such huge institution. possibly for the next Turkish invasion of USA.  Moreover another  Turkish Imam Gulen is taking over US Public Charter Schools 150 so far.  It is Time American people wake up from the deep sleep with Turks.

Thank you

Wally Sarkeesian

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/joe-bidens-hero-is-the-turkish-presidents-spy.aspx?pageID=449&nID=97110&NewsCatID=412———

412

BARÇIN YİNANÇ
barcin.yinanc@hurriyet.com.tr

With the West still under the shock of successive terrorist attracts by radical Islamists, and with rising Islamophobia and xenophobia fueled by those attacks, would the leader of a superpower miss the chance to give messages of peace and interreligious dialogue by participating in the opening of a mosque in a majority Christian country? Why would that leader miss the chance to stand side-by-side with the leader of a majority Muslim country that claims to endorse the universal values of humanity?

U.S. President Barack Obama opted to miss that chance. Sadly, we are talking about a leader who had picked Turkey as one of his first foreign destinations after he was first elected president. The problem is not with Obama. The problem is not with Turkey either, which – despite the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) efforts to prove to the contrary – strives to show the world that Islam can coexist with democracy. The problem is with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who will open the mosque in Maryland this weekend. Obama will not appear by his side because Erdoğan does not represent the universal values of democracy, among the main tenets of which are the rule of law, respect for diversity, and freedom of expression.

So long as Obama does not grant a photo opportunity in front of the mosque with Erdoğan, a three-minute meeting on the margins of the nuclear security summit in Washington does not mean much. Or let’s put it this way: A photo op in front of a mosque symbolizes two leaders of countries that share the same values and the same visions; while a photo op on the margins of an international meeting indicates a working relationship shaped only by the requirements of realpolitik. Sadly, neither Erdoğan’s advisors nor his most devoted constituency would understand the difference. They live in a world of contradictions where bashing a superpower wins votes just as well as a photo op with that superpower.

At any rate, the critical point in Erdoğan’s visit to U.S. will not be his possible short meeting with Obama, but his lengthy one with Vice President Joe Biden, who once called the jailed journalist Can Dündar a “hero.” (Biden met Dündar’s wife and son in his latest visit to Turkey. Dündar’s son said Biden told him his father was a hero, which was not refuted by U.S. officials.)

The diplomats got harshly criticized by the government for simply doing their job. Actually they could have been justifiably accused of not doing their jobs some time ago, as the diplomatic community remained largely silent in the mid-2000s when democratic backpedaling started in Turkey.

The Dündar/Gül case was a turning point. I don’t know why. All I know is that the diplomatic community in Turkey did something rather unusual, requesting to see Dündar and Gül in prison before they were released.

Through their joint presence in the courtroom in the first hearing, they also did something unusual. The political message “we are concerned by this case” is usually given by the presence of a representative from the European Commission. But the European Commission’s representation in Turkey had been politically absent for the last decade – just like its heads have been absent physically as they kept changing all the time.

On the technical level, usually each embassy or consulate follows cases they are interested in on their own choosing – and through a lower ranking diplomat. But in the Dündar/Gül trial there was concerted action.

There is no doubt that with all the political and economic crises going on in Europe at the moment, it was the consuls general here who took personal initiatives to take concerted action. But that does not mean they lacked the consent of their governments.

But now the $60 billion question is this: Will they go back to the courtroom on April 1, for the continuation of the hearing? So far all of Erdoğan’s slamming has been cost-free. We’ll see whether that will continue to be the case.

March/31/2016

TURKEY The Erdowie song Erdowo Erdogan creates tension between Ankara and Berlin

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arton123863-480x270Ankara, (AFP): The wrath of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about a satirical song on German television has led to a skirmish between Ankara and Berlin on freedom of expression, did on Tuesday Turkish and German diplomatic sources.

The case began with the release of 17 March mocking title “Erdowie, Erdowo, Erdogan,” produced by public regional broadcaster NDR, which displeased the head of the Turkish state as to cause the convening by Ankara German Ambassador to Turkey, Martin Erdmann.

Erdmann was requested “last week” to go to the Turkish Foreign Ministry “to express our protest about this issue that we condemn and we asked to stop its spread,” said AFP a Turkish diplomatic source who requested anonymity. According to the German Foreign Ministry, Martin Erdmann has “made it clear” on Tuesday and “a few days ago,” “the rule of law, independence of justice and the protection of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of the press and opinion, “must be” protected jointly “by the two countries.

“In recent weeks already, the Ambassador Erdmann stressed to the Turkish Foreign Ministry that political satire over in Germany the freedom of press and opinion”, and can as such be subject to a “government action”, is continued in the ministry. NDR chain has in turn protested Tuesday against the Turkish decision. “What the Turkish government clearly active diplomatically because of the show + Extra 3+ is not compatible with our concept of freedom of the press and opinion,” railed the editor of NDR Andreas Cichowicz, quoted by the German news agency DPA. Satirical song about two minutes to Erdogan, produced by NDR for the show “Extra 3” broadcast by ARD public television, is especially addressing the violations of press freedom committed by the Islamic-conservative president. It also criticizes the Pharaonic expenses incurred for the construction of a luxurious palace near the Turkish capital, Ankara.

“He leads a lavish lifestyle, the boaster of the Bosphorus, a journalist who writes does not please Mr. Erdogan is found the next day behind bars,” quips the offending song. Erdogan in power since 2002, first as prime minister and president since 2014, is accused of authoritarianism by its detractors. He strongly criticized these days the presence Friday from Western diplomats, including those of Germany and France in particular, to the trial of two opposition journalists in Istanbul.

In the aftermath, Ankara protested Monday from several European countries from the comments posted on social networks diplomats present at the trial against the editor of the daily Cumhuriyet, Can Dündar and his bureau chief in Ankara Erdem Gül. The two journalists charged with espionage, risk life imprisonment for an article questioning the Turkish regime in deliveries of arms to Islamist rebels in Syria, in January 2014.

The German government has in turn been criticized by German media for controversial agreement completed between the EU and Turkey, and strongly supported by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The media accused Berlin of granting too many concessions to Ankara.

U.S. orders military families to leave parts of Turkey

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A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jet lands at Incirlik airbase in the southern city of Adana, Turkey, December 10, 2015. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jet lands at Incirlik airbase in the southern city of Adana, Turkey, December 10, 2015. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

(Reuters) The U.S. military said on Tuesday it has ordered the families of its personnel to leave parts of southern Turkey over “continued security concerns in the region.”

Families of personnel stationed in Adana – including at Incirlik air base, used heavily in the fight against Islamic State militants – Izmir, and Mugla have been ordered to leave, the statement from U.S. European Command said. The decision was authorized by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter.

“We understand this is disruptive to our military families, but we must keep them safe and ensure the combat effectiveness of our forces to support our strong ally Turkey in the fight against terrorism,” General Philip M. Breedlove, commander of U.S. European Command, said in the statement.

Terrorist State of Turkey expropriated Armenian, Assyrian, Chalean Churches in Diyarbakir

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Surp Giragos Church, the largest Armenian church in Middle East,

Surp Giragos Church, the largest Armenian church in Middle East,

By Uygar Gültekin,

(Agos) Surp Giragos Church, the largest Armenian church in Middle East, is among the places in Sur province of Diyarbakir that are expropriated by the decision of the cabinet. With the same decision, Assyrian, Chaldean and Protestant churches are also expropriated.

While clashes and curfews continue in Diyarbakir, the cabinet took an urgent expropriation decision. Surp Giragos Church, the largest Armenian church in Middle East, is among the places in Sur province of Diyarbakir that are expropriated by the decision of the cabinet. Left to its own fate for years, the church was finally restored and opened to worship in 2011. With the same decision, Assyrian, Chaldean and Protestant churches are also expropriated.

According to the cabinet decision published in Official Journal on March 25, an “urgent expropriation” decision is taken concerning 6.300 plots of land in Sur province. With this decision, many places in Abdaldede, Alipaşa, Cemal Yılmaz, Camikebir, Cevatpaşa, Dabanoğlu, Hasırlı, İnönü, İskenderpaşa, Lalebey, Malikahmet, Özdemir, Süleymangazi, Savaş, Şemhane and Ziyagökalp neighborhoods and two neighborhoods in Yenişehir province are expropriated. 

Surp Giragos Church, the largest Armenian church in Middle East, Surp Sarkis Chaldean Church, Armenian Catholic Church, Virgin Mary Ancient Assyrian Church and Protestant Church are among the places that are expropriated. 

Legal action must be initiated 

Speaking to Agos, Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality Cultural Heritage Director Nevin Soylukaya stated that all churches and properties belonging to the foundations are expropriated. Soylukaya also said that some properties belonging to the municipality are also expropriated and they will initiate legal action. She also urged the owners of the expropriated properties to take legal action. 

Walls of Diyarbakir and Hevsel Gardens were added to UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015. And Sur province is considered as a buffer zone for Walls of Diyarbakir. 

There is no other church open to worship 

Sur is the only center that have places of worship for non-Muslims. Surp Giragos Church, Surp Sarkis Chaldean Church, Armenian Catholic Church, Virgin Mary Ancient Assyrian Church and Protestant Church are in Sur and currently closed to worship. There is no other church in Diyarbakir. 

Chaldean Church belongs to Mor Petyun Chaldean Catholic Church Foundation and Virgin Mary Ancient Assyrian Church belongs to Virgin Mary Ancient Assyrian Church Foundation. Apart from them, in Diyarbakir, there are 6 churches that is owned by various state institutions. 

Millions spent for restoration

Surg Giragos Armenian Church was left to its own fate, after its congregants left. With legal changes in foundation administration, people from Diyarbakir living in İstanbul formed a new administrative body and initiated restoration work. With the help of funding campaigns started in the US and other countries, the church was restored. About 2 million liras was spent for restoration. And it was awarded with various prestigious restoration awards. 

The largest Armenian church in Middle East 

The name of the church is mentioned for the first time in 1610-1615 by Simeon of Poland in his travel notes. Being one of the most important structures of Armenian architecture history, Surp Giragos Church is the largest Armenian church in Middle East. It was restored in 1722 and reconstructed and enlarged by Armenian architects Şahin, Saruhan and Yeram in 1729. 

Zakarya Mildanoğlu

Diyarbakir had been one of the most important cities in Armenian history. In “Amidai Artsakanknerı” (Echoes of Amida), published in New York in 1952, its names are listed as the following: Amida, Amed, O’mid, Emit, Amide, Amedu, Kara Amid, Dikranagerd, Diyarbekir. 

And “Diyarbakir and Armenians” is a history that was born before the Christian era and started to die away in ’80s. Many topics, including education life, professions, livelihoods, religious life, literature, publishing life, traditions, cultural institutions, political life, relation with the state and the role of local governing of Diyarbakir Armenians are being researched and new researchers are welcome. 

The relation between Diyarbakir and Armenians started to rupture slowly in 1915. People of Dikranagerd hosted people from Muş, Bitlis and Harput, who were managed to survive on the road to Der Zor and then, they walked to Der Zor with them. Infants and girls were taken by the locals. Some of them were converted to Islam. Some of the survivors returned. They tried to build a new life, but the problems like unemployment, housing and security became unbearable. They went to Istanbul and then they were scattered to the world. But how can you forget your homeland? They couldn’t have forgotten it. 

During Ottoman times, plunderers had eyes for churches, monasteries and graves. When we turn the pages of history, we see that some families in Diyarbakir considered Armenian churches and monasteries as a means of living and plundered all the tangible and intangible assets of Armenians. With the foundation of the republic, these assets were considered as ready-to-hand sources for constructing schools, post offices, orphanages, banks and military buildings. They destroyed them by cannonballs and dynamites and used the stones of those Armenians buildings. They wanted to wipe the traces of Armenian masonry off. 

Located at the center of Diyarbakir, Surp Giragos Church is one of the symbols of the city with its size and glorious bell tower. The bell tower was struck by lightning in 1913. It was rebuilt in the same year by the golds provided by prominent Armenian people. In the dark days of 1915, this bell tower was destroyed by cannonballs, since it was taller than the minarets. 

The name of the church is mentioned in 1610-1615 for the first time by Simeon of Poland in his travel notes. Being one of the most important structures of Armenian architecture history, Surp Giragos Church is the largest Armenian church in Middle East. It was restored in 1722 and reconstructed in a larger scale by Armenian architects Şahin, Saruhan and Yeram in 1729. 

In June 10, 1881, the entire church was devastated by a fire, but it was rebuilt in 1883.

Damaged in 1915, the church was used as quarters by German commanders. Then, it was served as a cotton storage for Sümerbank. Having opened to worship in 1960, the church became deserted, since Armenians started to migrate to the western cities or Europe for various reasons. Since it has no congregant, it wasn’t open to worship and sometimes it is plundered. In time, due to neglect, some parts of the church collapsed and became dysfunctional. With the efforts of Surp Giragos Church Foundation and support of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality, the restoration of the church was ended and it was opened to worship in 2011. 

Israel urges citizens to leave Turkey due to terrorist threat

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defaultThe counterterrorism bureau of Israel has urged its citizens visiting Turkey to leave because of a terrorist threat in the country.

The aforementioned is noted in a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

According to this document, the recent terrorism in Istanbul showed yet again that there is a high level of threat that the Islamic State would attack Turkish tourist attractions.

Thus, the Israeli authorities have raised the warning against travel to Turkey to “level 2.”

Four people, including three Israeli citizens, had died in the March 19 suicide bombing in Istanbul.