Syria Turkey Tension

Russia Tuesday said it hoped Turkey would exercise "restraint" and refrain from "any excessive use of force" in Syria, where Ankara has carried out air strikes and is threatening to launch a ground offensive against Kurdish fighters.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he could no longer "keep track" of the tweets by his US counterpart Donald Trump as tensions mount over Ankara's operation against Kurdish militants in Syria, in comments published Wednesday.

Turkey and the United States have agreed to establish a joint operation centre to manage the tensions between Kurdish and Turkish forces in northern Syria, Ankara said Wednesday.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US counterpart Donald Trump mooted Monday the creation of a "security zone" in northern Syria as tensions rose over the fate of Kurdish fighters in the war-torn country.

Syria's former al-Qaida affiliate claimed responsibility Saturday for the downing of a Russian warplane in northern Syria, apparently using a surface-to-air missile.

New Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said he wants to have no permanent tensions with the country's neighbours after serious ruptures with Egypt, Israel, Russia and Syria in recent years, in comments published today.

As many as three people were wounded when rocket fire from an ISIS-controlled area in northern Syria entered Turkish territory, striking the border town of Kilis today, security sources said.

Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion.

Turkey accused Russia today of playing up a military threat from Ankara that does not exist, comments likely to further strain tensions between the two after the downing of a jet over Syria last month.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu today accused Russia of pursuing a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" in Syria and strengthening ISIS terrorists, in the latest escalation of tensions between Ankara and Moscow.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said Monday that Moscow is pursuing a "losing strategy" in Syria amid rising tensions after a Russian fighter jet violated Turkey's air space.

Syria accused Ankara of "flagrant aggression" on Sunday after Turkey shot down a warplane near the border, raising tensions as Syrian loyalists and rebels battled for control of a frontier crossing.

Turkish riot police fought running battles with pockets of protesters overnight after storming a central Istanbul square in a show of force that risked ratcheting up tensions almost two weeks after anti-government demonstrations began.

US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Turkish leaders Sunday to speedily restore full diplomatic relations with Israel, two American allies the US sees as anchors of stability in a Middle East wracked by Syria's civil war, Arab Spring political upheavals and the potential threat posed by Iran's nuclear program.

Fighting raged between troops and rebels in Syria as Damascus ratcheted up the tension with Ankara by banning all Turkish passenger flights from Syrian airspace from Sunday.

Russia Tuesday said it hoped Turkey would exercise "restraint" and refrain from "any excessive use of force" in Syria, where Ankara has carried out air strikes and is threatening to launch a ground offensive against Kurdish fighters.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he could no longer "keep track" of the tweets by his US counterpart Donald Trump as tensions mount over Ankara's operation against Kurdish militants in Syria, in comments published Wednesday.

Turkey and the United States have agreed to establish a joint operation centre to manage the tensions between Kurdish and Turkish forces in northern Syria, Ankara said Wednesday.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US counterpart Donald Trump mooted Monday the creation of a "security zone" in northern Syria as tensions rose over the fate of Kurdish fighters in the war-torn country.

Syria's former al-Qaida affiliate claimed responsibility Saturday for the downing of a Russian warplane in northern Syria, apparently using a surface-to-air missile.

New Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said he wants to have no permanent tensions with the country's neighbours after serious ruptures with Egypt, Israel, Russia and Syria in recent years, in comments published today.

As many as three people were wounded when rocket fire from an ISIS-controlled area in northern Syria entered Turkish territory, striking the border town of Kilis today, security sources said.

Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion.

Turkey accused Russia today of playing up a military threat from Ankara that does not exist, comments likely to further strain tensions between the two after the downing of a jet over Syria last month.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu today accused Russia of pursuing a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" in Syria and strengthening ISIS terrorists, in the latest escalation of tensions between Ankara and Moscow.

US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said Monday that Moscow is pursuing a "losing strategy" in Syria amid rising tensions after a Russian fighter jet violated Turkey's air space.

Syria accused Ankara of "flagrant aggression" on Sunday after Turkey shot down a warplane near the border, raising tensions as Syrian loyalists and rebels battled for control of a frontier crossing.

Turkish riot police fought running battles with pockets of protesters overnight after storming a central Istanbul square in a show of force that risked ratcheting up tensions almost two weeks after anti-government demonstrations began.

US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Turkish leaders Sunday to speedily restore full diplomatic relations with Israel, two American allies the US sees as anchors of stability in a Middle East wracked by Syria's civil war, Arab Spring political upheavals and the potential threat posed by Iran's nuclear program.

Fighting raged between troops and rebels in Syria as Damascus ratcheted up the tension with Ankara by banning all Turkish passenger flights from Syrian airspace from Sunday.