Thousands Yell ‘Death to US’ Near Turkey’s Incirlik Base, Home to US Nukes

Over five thousand joined anti-American demonstrations yelling “death to US” and demanding an immediate closure of the Incirlik Air Base for over five hours on Thursday before Turkish police came in and broke up the protesters before they could arrive at major NATO military facility, home to nearly 90 US tactical nuclear weapons.

On Thursday, a group of protesters swelled into several thousand ardent anti-American demonstrators heading towards the NATO Air Base at Incirlik, where they look to demand US forces immediately leave the country. Nationalists in Turkey have been emboldened since the failed coup attempt against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with the country’s Labor Minister telling HaberTurk news that Washington was behind the coup attempt and with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim threatening all-out war against the United States.

A critical turning point may have been the massive fire that broke out near the Izmir Air Base this weekend, with T24 news reporting that officials suspected that the cause was anti-American sabotage. The blaze came hours after President Erdogan’s leading Islamist newspaper, Yeni Safak, printed the image of the NATO International Security Assistance Force Commander, US Army General John Campbell, as a leading force behind the coup along with Fethullah Gulen.

 

Turkey silenced 900 journos since January: Journalists’ association

The Turkish government has dismissed hundreds of journalists so far this year and blocked tens of thousands of websites since mid-2015, says an association for journalists in Turkey.

According to the report by the Press for Freedom Project (ÖiB), which is affiliated with the Turkish Journalists’ Association (TGC), at least 160 journalists were sacked in April alone, raising the number of dismissed journalists in the Anatolian country to a total of 894 since January.

Journalists shout slogans and hold placards on January 10, 2016 during a march marking Journalism Day on Istiklal Street in Istanbul as they protest against the imprisonment of journalists. (AFP)

The report also set the number of blocked websites at 104,904 since the Turkish general election in June 2015.

Moreover, a total of 33 reporters were arrested from January to April, it further said, adding that 12 journalists faced charges over “insulting” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

 

PressTV-Erdogan: 1915 Armenian killings no ‘genocide’

The Turkish president, meanwhile, defended the present-day treatment of Armenians in Turkey, saying, “There are 100,000 Armenians who are either Turkish citizens or not citizens in my country. Have they been submitted to any different treatment?”

He added that the Armenians in his country “benefit from all kinds of opportunities,” and Turkey does not deport them as, he said, “they are guests in our country.”

The issue was brought to the limelight on April 12, when in controversial remarks during a Sunday solemn mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis used the word “genocide” to describe the massacre. The pontiff said the incident was the “first genocide of the 20th century.”

Ankara was quick in responding to the remarks. The Turkish Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to the Vatican for consultation amid the worsening diplomatic row over the issue.

Davutoglu: Pope joined “an evil front”

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said during an event in Ankara on Wednesday that the Pope has joined “an evil front” plotting against Turkey.

via PressTV-Erdogan: 1915 killings no ‘genocide’.