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A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 27 July 2019

Turkey determined to destroy 'terror corridor' in Syria

By SUZAN FRASER Kurdish fighters and Iraq,
Associated Press where Turkey has been car-
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — rying out airstrikes targeting
Turkish President Recep alleged Kurdish rebel hide-
Tayyip Erdogan said Friday outs.
his country is determined In Syria, the Foreign Ministry
to destroy what he called condemned what it called
a "terror corridor" in north- destructive U.S. interfer-
ern Syria — regardless of ence in the country. It said
whether or not Turkey and U.S. involvement in Syria
the United States agree on aims to prolong and com-
the establishment of a so- plicate the crisis. A state-
called "safe zone" there. ment from an unnamed
U.S. and Turkish officials ministry official said Syria re-
have been holding talks on jects any agreements with
creating a safe zone east of Turkey that blatantly violate
the Euphrates River to ad- its sovereignty.
dress Turkey's security con- Meanwhile, Erdogan also
cerns stemming from the confirmed that Turkey had
presence of Syrian Kurdish caught or killed all suspects
fighters in the region. Turkey behind the assassination of
views the Kurdish fighters a Turkish diplomat last week
— who have battled the in Iraq's semi-autonomous
Islamic State group along- Kurdish region.
side U.S. forces — as terror- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his ruling party members, in Ankara, Turkey, Turkish media reported
ists, allied with a Kurdish in- Friday, July 26, 2019. Thursday that the military,
surgency within Turkey. Associated Press acting on Turkish intelli-
Ankara wants a zone safe zone is not reached, men in Syria, Erdogan told eas on Monday for the first gence, targeted two ve-
along the border with Syr- and has recently been party officials that "those time since he took his post hicles carrying the alleged
ia cleared of the Kurdish sending reinforcements who engage in bullying by in March. McKenzie met masterminds of the July 17
fighters and claims such a to its border area. Since putting their trust in foreign with the top Kurdish com- attack that killed diplomat
zone would be safe for Syr- 2016, Turkey has launched forces will tomorrow find mander to discuss the safe Osman Kose at a restau-
ians and allow some of the two cross-border offensives themselves in the grave." zone. rant in the city of Irbil. The
country's refugees to return. against IS and the Syrian Marine Gen. Kenneth F. Erdogan said a new Turk- reports said the planners of
Turkey has warned of a Kurdish fighters. McKenzie, the U.S. Central ish incursion into Syria east the attack and their body-
possible new offensive into In an apparent message Command chief, had vis- of the Euphrates would cut guards were killed on July
Syria if an agreement on a to U.S.-allied Kurdish militia- ited Syria's Kurdish-held ar- off contact between Syria's 18 and July 24.q

Saudi king hosts 200 from Christchurch shootings for Hajj

By NICK PERRY to wear during the pilgrim- massacre. "It's a tough jour-
Associated Press age and told the women ney to do, Hajj," she said.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand they would be given kits "There are quite a number
(AP) — Aya Al-Umari said when they arrived in Saudi of factors. There's lots of
she feels like her brother Arabia. Al-Umari's 35-year- walking, and the weather
will be accompanying her old brother Hussein was — it's quite hot. But these
and will constantly be in among those killed. are all surface things, and
her prayers when she trav- She said it's an honor that the holiness of the whole
els to Mecca next month to King Salman is sponsoring pilgrimage will overtake the
take part in the annual Hajj the trips, a fact reinforced toughness of the journey."
pilgrimage. in her visa documents stat- The Hajj is one of the five
Al-Umari is one of 200 rela- ing that she's traveling as a pillars of Islam, and all
tives and survivors from guest of the custodian of able-bodied Muslims are
the Christchurch mosque the two holy mosques. required to perform it once
shootings who are traveling "It came at such a perfect in their lifetime. During the
to Saudi Arabia as guests time and it helps with the five-day pilgrimage, mil-
of King Salman. The king grief as well," Al-Umari said. lions of Muslims circle Is-
is paying for all travel and "It's such a humbling thing lam's most sacred site, the
accommodation costs, a to be given. I always had, cube-shaped Kaaba, and
bill likely to run to over $1 personally, as a goal be- take part in rituals intended In this March 19, 2019, file photo, Aya Al-Umari wears the T-shirt
that her brother, Hussein Al-Umari, 35, teased her about the last
million. fore I get married, to Hajj. to bring about greater hu- time she saw him, before he was killed on March 15 in the attack
The Saudi ambassador to Now it's been given to us on mility and unity. at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand.
New Zealand, Abdulrah- a plate. I feel it's a blessing Al-Umari said she travelled Associated Press
man Al Suhaibani, on Friday from Hussein that is looking with her brother and par- said it would be his third community of Christchurch
said farewell to the pilgrims after me and my family." ents to Mecca as a child trip to Mecca but his first heal. "It's putting good in
at the Al Noor mosque, one She said she was initially for the umrah, or what she time for the Hajj. He said he the place of bad," he said.
of two mosques where a nervous about the trip, and describes as the mini-Hajj. was delighted with how first "Over time, people will get
gunman killed 51 people won't know many of the Lateef Alabi, the imam of the New Zealand govern- over the pain. But it will take
in March. Al-Umari said the others going because so the Linwood mosque where ment and now the Saudi years, and they will never
ambassador handed out many of her friends were worshippers were also killed king were doing what they see their family members
special clothes for the men killed during the March during the March attacks, could to help the Muslim again."q