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Turkey sends more tanks into northern Syria

Saturday, 27 August 2016 1:23 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 27 August 2016 1:23 PM ]

Turkish soldiers seat in a tank driving to Syria from the Turkish Syrian border city of Karkamis in the southern region of Gaziantep, on August 27, 2016. ©AFP

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

Turkey has continued its military buildup inside northern Syria, dispatching 6 more tanks under the pretext of fighting Daesh terrorists and Kurdish militants. They have joined 50 tanks, armored vehicles and some 400 troops already on the ground. Syria has condemned the Turkish intervention as a breach of its sovereignty.
Turkish police have detained 3 former diplomats over links to the failed coup on July 15. The detainees include Gurcan Balik, an advisor to US-based Turkish opposition figure Fethullah Gulen who is accused by Ankara of masterminding the coup. Balik was also the chief foreign policy advisor to ex-president Abdullah Gul.
Taliban militants have overrun an area in eastern Afghanistan, killing and wounding dozens of police officers and soldiers. The violence occurred as the militants took control of the Janikhel District in Paktia province. A local official says security forces pulled out of the district after fierce fighting with the militants overnight.
A US drone attack in southern Afghanistan has killed 22 local soldiers. Officials in Helmand province say the victims were in Taliban custody when the strike hit the militants’ position. The Taliban have issued a statement, saying their captives plus 3 of their members lost their lives in the raid.
Kashmir’s leading pro-Independence party has called for an immediate release of its leader after he was detained for violating the terms of his house arrest. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was taken into custody on charges of trying to lead an anti-India march after the recent killings of civilians in Kashmir.
Italy is observing a day of national mourning for the victims of Wednesday’s devastating earthquake that rocked the country’s center. Rescue operations in some of the quake-stricken areas have been called off as hopes for finding more survivors are fading. The death toll currently stands at 290.
A video has emerged apparently showing the beginning of a chase that ended with US police fatally shooting a deaf driver around two weeks ago. Daniel Harris from Charlotte, North Carolina, was shot during a traffic stop on the 18th of August.
Australians have hit the streets of Melbourne to demand the closure of controversial offshore detention centers on Nauru and Manus Islands. Protesters called for the detainees to be moved to Australia. The protest follows the publication of data showing rights violations at the detention centers including child abuse.