Moroccan UN Peacekeeper Killed in C.Africa Attack

United Nations peacekeepers from Morocco during a ceremony on September 15, 2014, to celebrate the official start of the mission of the United Nations Peace Forces (Getty Images)

Asharq Al Awsat

06:10-26 November 2022 AD ـ 03 Jumada Al-Ula 1444 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

06:10-26 November 2022 AD ـ 03 Jumada Al-Ula 1444 AH

Moroccan UN Peacekeeper Killed in C.Africa Attack

United Nations peacekeepers from Morocco during a ceremony on September 15, 2014, to celebrate the official start of the mission of the United Nations Peace Forces (Getty Images)

A Moroccan soldier serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in war-torn Central Africa was killed during an attack at an airfield, the UN said on Friday.

The mission did not say who carried out Thursday's attack at Obo in the southeast of the country, AFP said.

"A blue helmet from the Moroccan contingent... died after an attack on Thursday morning at the Obo aerodrome while he was protecting the aerodrome perimeter for a landing, with other members of his continent," said the UN force in Central Africa (MINUSCA).

The 14,000-strong peacekeeping force has been deployed since 2014 in the country which is wracked by civil war.

Türkiye to Seek Lifting of Syria Sanctions, Erdogan Tells Sharaa

This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Presidency Press Office on April 11, 2025, shows Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shaking hands with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) during a meeting the 4th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2025) in Antalya. (Handout / Turkish Presidency Press Office / AFP)

10:57-12 April 2025 AD ـ 14 Shawwal 1446 AH

Türkiye to Seek Lifting of Syria Sanctions, Erdogan Tells Sharaa

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday that Türkiye will continue its diplomatic efforts to lift international sanctions against Syria, Erdogan’s office said.

During their meeting at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye, Erdogan said efforts should be increased to revitalize trade and economic cooperation with Syria and that Türkiye will continue to provide support to the country, the statement said.

Türkiye is an influential actor in neighboring Syria as opposition groups it supported during the civil war took power last December. However, the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad aggravated already tense relations between Türkiye and Israel, with their conflicting interests pushing the relationship toward a possible collision course.

When Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last month, he advised him to be “reasonable” in his dealings with Ankara.

Erdogan told the forum in Antalya: “We are in a state of understanding and close dialogue with influential actors in the region, especially Trump and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, in preserving the territorial integrity of Syria."

As if to underline this position, Sharaa sat just two places away from Erdogan’s seat in the hall.

It was Sharaa’s second trip to Türkiye as leader after Erdogan welcomed him to the capital Ankara in February.

In an apparent warning, Erdogan said that “no-one should misunderstand our cool-headedness and our stance of resolving issues through dialogue.”

The president has been a vocal critic of Israel’s operations in Gaza.

Moroccan UN Peacekeeper Killed in C.Africa Attack

Moroccan UN Peacekeeper Killed in C.Africa Attack

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Türkiye to Seek Lifting of Syria Sanctions, Erdogan Tells Sharaa

Türkiye to Seek Lifting of Syria Sanctions, Erdogan Tells Sharaa

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