Turkey Says Ready to Deploy Troops to Azerbaijan

An Azerbaijani service member and a Russian peacekeeper stand guard at a checkpoint in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh (File photo: Reuters)
An Azerbaijani service member and a Russian peacekeeper stand guard at a checkpoint in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh (File photo: Reuters)
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Turkey Says Ready to Deploy Troops to Azerbaijan

An Azerbaijani service member and a Russian peacekeeper stand guard at a checkpoint in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh (File photo: Reuters)
An Azerbaijani service member and a Russian peacekeeper stand guard at a checkpoint in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh (File photo: Reuters)

Turkey has announced that it will send troops to monitor the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh following the Russian-mediated agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

On November 9, Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia signed a joint statement on the complete cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced that the armed forces will be sent to the region of Azerbaijan in the shortest period of time.

During his tour to a military industry facility, Akar noted that the decision to send Turkish soldiers to Azerbaijan has been approved by the parliament, which give the green light for a one-year deployment.

“Our preparations are completed …Turkish soldiers will start their duty in Azerbaijan as soon as possible.”

Akar denounced Western accusations to the Azerbaijani army of burning and destroying parts of the region, saying the military was liberating its lands from a 30-year occupation.

He stated that the whole world witnessed as the Armenian army deliberately bombed populated areas in Azerbaijan.

Recent reports revealed that Turkey has transferred dozens of Arab and Turkmen families from areas under its control in northeastern Syria to Karabakh. The families will settle in the areas after the withdrawal of the Armenian forces.

The representative of self-administration in northern and eastern Syria, Sivan Xaburi, said he received confirmed information that the Turkish government was transferring Syrian families to change the demographic composition of the region.

He added that the administration contacted the Kurds, and confirmed that a number of Syrian families had arrived in the region via Turkey.

Xaburi also accused Turkey of changing the demography of Afrin in Syria, which now has less than seven percent of its indigenous population.

Meanwhile, French Trade Minister Franck Riester warned that the European Council will consider imposing restrictions on Turkey during its next meeting following its "unacceptable" behavior in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Riester told "France Inter" radio that the upcoming meeting will discuss increasing the pressure on Turkey.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was in Armenia on Saturday at the head of a high-ranking delegation.

During a press briefing, Lavrov confirmed that the delegation's meetings focused on ensuring the “accurate and full implementation” of the statement issued by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Both Russia and Armenia stressed that attempts to discredit this statement are unacceptable, said Lavrov.

Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that Russian peacekeeping troops provided safe corridors to all refugees who wish to return to their areas.

“As of today, almost 7,000 citizens have returned, this work continues, and I am sure that everyone who would like to return to Nagorno-Karabakh will be able to do so.”

Shoigu held a meeting with his Armenian counterpart Vagharshak Harutyunyan in Yerevan to discuss the main priorities of the peacekeeping operation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Harutyunyan highly appreciated the actions of the Russian peacekeepers to restore peace in the region.

"The ceasefire is being observed. Frankly, for this conflict, which has such a history and such a geography, forces were deployed so quickly and so effectively.”



Microsoft AI CEO's Remarks Interrupted by Pro-Palestinian Protester

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman speaks at the company's 50th anniversary celebration in Redmond, Washington, US, April 4, 2025. REUTERS/Jeffrey Dastin
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman speaks at the company's 50th anniversary celebration in Redmond, Washington, US, April 4, 2025. REUTERS/Jeffrey Dastin
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Microsoft AI CEO's Remarks Interrupted by Pro-Palestinian Protester

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman speaks at the company's 50th anniversary celebration in Redmond, Washington, US, April 4, 2025. REUTERS/Jeffrey Dastin
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman speaks at the company's 50th anniversary celebration in Redmond, Washington, US, April 4, 2025. REUTERS/Jeffrey Dastin

Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman's remarks were interrupted by a pro-Palestinian protesting employee during the technology company's 50th anniversary celebration on Friday over the firm's ties with Israel.
"You are a war profiteer. Stop using AI for genocide," Microsoft employee Ibtihal Aboussad said at the event in Redmond, Washington, while interrupting Suleyman who was talking about the company's artificial intelligence assistant product.
According to Reuters, Suleyman responded by saying: "I hear your protest, thank you." The protesting employee was then escorted away.
An investigation by The Associated Press revealed earlier this year that AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI were used as part of an Israeli military program to select bombing targets during its wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Various other firms and educational institutions have also faced protests over their ties with Israel as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza from Israel's military assault has mounted.

The Verge tech news website quoted an email that Aboussad, the protesting employee, sent to other Microsoft employees justifying her protest.
Microsoft said it provided many avenues for all voices to be heard in a way that does not cause business interruption.
Aboussad was cited by AP to be saying that she and another protesting employee lost access to their work accounts after the protest.