Category: News

Photo: Sputnik/ Ramil Sitdikov

Russia and Armenia signed an agreement on establishing the Combined Regional Air Defense System in the Caucasian Collective Security Region on Wednesday, TASS reports.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and his Armenian counterpart Seyran Ohanyan put their signatures to the document. The agreement was signed after the ministers’ bilateral meeting.

The two defense ministries also signed a cooperation plan for 2016.

Mutual cooperation plans for 2016 also were signed with other defense ministers, with whom Sergey Shoigu met in bilateral meetings – Kyrgyz General Staff Chief Colonel Zhanybek Kaparov, Tajik Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Sherali Mirzo, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Col. Gen. Zakir Gasanov and Kazakh Defense Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov. The meeting of the Russian and Azeri defense ministers was held under the closed doors.

“We have approved for 2016 a plan of work of the Defense Ministers’ Council of the CIS countries and a plan of common steps on the joint air defense system,” Shoigu said summing up the results of the meeting.

At the meeting, the ministers revised a cooperation plan for troops of the joint air defense system and the documents regulating the work of the coordination committee on the air defense issues at the CIS Defense Ministers’ Council.

A number of bilateral meetings were also held, Shoigu said. “During the talks, we discussed a broad range of issues of cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres. The plans of bilateral cooperation of the defense ministries were signed for the next year,” he said.

The participants of the meeting confirmed plans to further develop partnership based on the balance of common, regional and national interests.

An explosion on the tarmac at Sabiha Gokcen airport in the Turkish city of Istanbul has killed a female cleaner, the BBC reports.

The woman who died was working on a Pegasus airlines plane overnight when the blast took place. A colleague who was with her was wounded.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation, the airport says.

Armed police imposed tight security at the airport’s entrance, Turkish media said, but flights were said to be running normally.

The woman killed, 30-year-old Zeyhra Yamac, died of head injuries.

No passengers were on the plane or nearby at the time, Pegasus said in a statement.

It said the explosion happened at 02:05 (00:05 GMT) on Wednesday. Although the cause of the blast was unknown, police were investigating whether it was a bomb, Dogan news agency reported.

Some witnesses claimed to have heard three consecutive explosions.

Located on the Asian facing side of Istanbul, Sabiha Gokcen is the city’s second-largest airport after Ataturk airport on the European side of the city.

Photo: AFP 2015/ YOUSSEF KARWASHAN

– Mahmut Ghazi Tatar, a captured member of the Islamic State terrorist organization, spoke to Sputnik Turkey, revealing details about being in the ranks of IS and Turkey’s ties with the terror group.

Mahmut Ghazi joined IS after being influenced by a friend who had joined the group earlier. He, together with 27 other Turks, was helped to cross the border into Syria where he joined the ranks of the militants.

“After crossing border we were moved to a training camp 5 km from the border. We received military training and attended religious classes. Before the start of training, each of us was asked whether we want to be martyrs. I refused. This question is asked of all new recruits. Those who agree, within 6 months receive special religious training. Since I refused, my education and training lasted 70 days. We learned by the Turkish books. During the training, a few people from Turkey came to check on us. They did not have beards and they were not members of IS,” Mahmut Tatar told Sputnik Turkiye during an interview.

After receiving their training the 27 members who were all Turkish were sent to the city of Tel Abaid where they lived in houses and where their training continued. Their names were kept secret and they were not allowed to contact their families for a period of six months.

Talking about how he was caught by Kurdish soldiers, Ghazi said that upon receiving warning of the presence of Kurdish soldiers from other IS members he and 12 other group members ran away from Tal Abaid. They were hiding in a nearby village. But the next morning when Ghazi tried to make a run for it he was caught.

“Kurds treat prisoners well, they feed them, give water and even cigarettes. I was kept in this room along with several other people. I did not think that they will treat me so well, I was afraid of torture. I thought we would be killed, but it turned out that the Kurdish troops do not kill captives. I heard that ISIS when being captured by Kurds are either killed at once or are kept alive to make prisoner exchange with the Kurds.”

Talking about what he heard from his commander the captured member revealed that during his training camp in May 2015, one IS commander Abu Talha told them that the group sells oil to Turkey. According to Abu Talha, the money that was raised from sale of oil in Turkey helped IS resolve all financial difficulties.

“The oil tankers that were sent every day to Turkey had crude oil, fuel oil and gasoline. The main source of income for IS is oil trade and oil inventories will last them a long time.”

“Abu Talha also said that the group earns a lot of money in trade with Turkey. He also said that the oil is sold through the mediation of a number of businessmen and merchants, but did not give names. IS also receives many products from Turkey and other Arab countries,” Mahmut Ghazi revealed.

He mentioned that his commanders did not attach particular importance to the US bombings. They believed that it was done as a pretense.

One of the militants asked the commander why IS was not fighting against Israel. Abu Talha said: “First we need to break down a small wall and then destroy the large one.”

According to the captured member most new recruits joined the group from Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Yemen, Qatar, Lebanon and Egypt. They crossed the Turkish border, which is very simple to do. The fighters from Europe and America follow the same route.

“The commanders told us that they were going to commit a terrorist act that would exceed the scale of the September 11 attacks on the US,” Mahmut Ghazi concluded.

Annual festive events for children on the occasion of New Year and Holly Christmas have started today at the Presidential Palace. Today, the Presidential Palace at Baghramian 26 hosted 300 kids from secondary schools who demonstrated excellent learning results. On the eve of New Year, traditional events organized in the Presidential Palace will gather over 1200 children aging 6-12 from Yerevan and regions of the Republic.

Events for kids at Baghramian 26 will be held also in next two days, on December 23 and 24. Tomorrow, the Palace will host children and grandchildren of the servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces, members of Erkrapah volunteers union, of fallen and handicap freedom fighters, including those from the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, children of the RA Police and National Security employees. On December 24, children from a number of communities from border regions (Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, Ararat, Tavush), as well as children from Syria who found refuge in Armenia, children with disabilities and laureates of Olympiads (Kangaroo and Bee) will be the guests at the Presidential Palace.

Armen Martirosyan visited the Armenian cemetery, a visit that connected him to some unknown countrymen, who were laid to rest here a few centuries ago. Neither they were his ancestors nor he ever learnt about their existence, but the emotion was pretty visible as he walked through the small cemetery.

Armen Martirosyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia precisely went through the bundle of emotions visiting the 17th century Armenian Cemetery, now in almost a dilapidated state in Uppuguda, a part of the old city of Hyderabad. “I am moved after coming here. I feel nostalgic. We need to restore the cemetery for the next generations to have a glimpse of the past,” Mr. Martirosyan said after spending nearly an hour in the cemetery.

If his renovation plans fructify, Armenians visiting the city in the future will learn about their countrymen who inhabited Hyderabad nearly four centuries ago.

Mr. Armen Martirosyan visited the cemetery along with Rev. Fr. Zaven Yazichyan, Pastor Manager Indian –Armenian Spiritual Pastorate, Kolkatta and N.R. Visatatchy Director State Archaeology and Museums Department to take stock of its condition and determine what can be done to restore it.

In October this year, The Hindu carried a detailed report about the neglect of the cemetery following which the management of the Armenian Spiritual Pastorate, Kolkatta contacted the reporter.

A visit of Monday’s delegation was a result of that report.

Officials of the Archaeology Department were enthused when Mr. Martirosyan assured them of undertaking translation of epitaphs on the 20 graves which include that of 19 Armenians and one Dutch trader. Archaeological excavation of the cemetery could be taken up before beautification. The visiting Armenian delegation said it would photograph all the graves and publish a book after gathering details about those laid to rest here.

“Generally, tourists coming to the India visit Agra, Kolkatta and Chennai for they know that there are few churches and cemeteries there. We will take up a campaign to highlight the cemetery at Hyderabad for our people to visit,” Mr Martirosyan explained.

Armenians came to India between 16th and 17th centuries as traders, travelling through Persia, Afghanistan and Tibet.

“A large number of Armenians settled in Hyderabad during the 17th century. Though there are no written records of their activities, traditions and social conditions, the Armenian epitaphs acknowledge their presence,” M.A. Qayyum, former Deputy Director Archaeology and Museums said.

The graves of two priests Rev. Johannes, who died in 1680, and Rev. Margar, who died in 1724, are also here.

“A team of archaeologist soon will take up excavation at the site. There is a proposal to develop a small garden and appoint guards for security,” N.R. Visatatchy, Director State Archaeology and Museums Department.

“The situation was relatively calm at the border last night,” Spokesman for the Minister of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan told a press conference today. He said the final data on the losses of the Azerbaijan side would be published by the end of the year. According to different estimates, the number of losses exceeds 210.

The Spokesman said since the beginning of the year Azerbaijan has used weapons that had not been used after the conclusion of the ceasefire, including tanks, howitzers, anti-aircraft units.

Artsrun Hovhannisyan urges not to use the term “ceasefire violation,” when speaking about the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, since we have long not had ceasefire and peace, we have a “relatively calm ceasefire.”

He said “the rival has tried to conquer military strongholds on several occasions over the past years, but has always faced a worthy response.”

“The adversary has used different means, but has never succeeded. Therefore, we can say Azerbaijan is moving along the path of exhausting its important forces, i.e. exhausting its ‘golden fund’,” Artsrun Hovhannisyan said.

The Spokesman avoided speaking about CSTO response to the border tensions and referred to President Serzh Sargsyan’s speech at the CSTO Collective Security Council yesterday.

President Sargsyan said that “every time Azerbaijani Armed Forces use automatic guns, mortars and artillery equipment against the Republic of Armenia, they shoot in the direction of Astana, Dushanbe and Bishkek, Moscow and Minsk.”

“Taking into consideration the recent tense atmosphere in the region, we should not rule out that Azerbaijan has been guided or supported by outer forces,” the Armenian President stated.

The “Lost birds” – the first Turkish film on the Armenian Genocide – may be nominated for Oscar in 11 nominations. The award ceremony will take place at the Dolby Theatre on February 28, 2016. The final list of contending films will be published on January 14, Ermenihaber.am reports, quoting Turkish Sabah daily.

The film was recently screened in Los Angeles and was warmly welcomed by the audience.

Co-director of the film Ela Alyamac said the film had an unprecedented success not only among common viewers, but also some scientific circles. “This inspired us to nominate the film for an Academy Award,” she said.

Anyone found illegally celebrating Christmas in Brunei could face up to five years in prison, according to a reported declaration by the Sultan of the tiny oil-rich state, reports.

Brunei introduced its ban on Christmas last year over fears that celebrating it “excessively and openly” could lead its Muslim population astray.

Christians and others can celebrate Christmas, but must do so in private and have to first alert the authorities.

Local Islamic religious leaders have promoted the ban, warning that adopting the trappings of Christmas is tantamount to imitation of another faith, prohibited in some interpretations of Islam.

Officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs have also reportedly visited local businesses to ensure they are not displaying Christmas decorations, including Santa hats and banners with Christmas greetings.

the punishment for celebrating Christmas is a fine of $20,000 or up to five years in prison, or both.

The Greek parliament unanimously asked from the Greek government the recognition of the State of Palestine at a special session held on Tuesday in the presence of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, according to the Greek Reporter.

Abbas was welcomed as head of state by parliament president Nikos Voutsis and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras: “we welcome you in the presence of the prime minister, members of the parliament’s presidium and president of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of parliament and the Committee of the Greek-Palestinian friendship of parliament.”

On his part, Abbas stated “the grand step of recommending to the Greek government to recognize a State of Palestine will go down in the history and in the future paces of the Palestinian people” adding also “We are very proud that we are here at the bastion of the Greek democracy” who expressed the Palestinian people’s gratitude and pleasure for the ‘grandiose’, as he called it, “Greek parliament’s initiative that further contributes to the foundation of the Palestinian State” adding “We feel at home. Further steps for the strengthening of the already close and historic relations between the peoples will follow” said Abbas and concluded “We recently welcomed the Greek prime minister in Palestine and we hope very soon to also welcome the President of the Hellenic Republic and the parliament president.”