Persecution of Christians

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an criticized the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) during a recent speech in Istanbul. He prefers to use another abbreviation, but that does not matter.  

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is trying to destroy everything in Islamic culture, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has said, likening its acts to the burning of 36 libraries in Baghdad during the Abbasid era by the Mongols, and the burning of 1 million Islamic books in Andalusia upon an order by a Spanish cardinal.

Two cargo planes carrying Turkish military aid to Iraqi soldiers arrived in Baghdad on March 3, a Turkish official told the Hürriyet Daily News, stressing that the assistance includes non-lethal military equipment aid for 500 soldiers of the central government.

A Turkish man, who is allegedly involved in the trafficking of jihadists on the Turkey-Syria border, has also been accused of forcing Syrian refugees into prostitution.

The United States will be ready to "protect" moderate Syrian rebels possibly with air power once they enter into combat, a top US official said March 2.
     

BiH Islamic Community condemns ISIL supporters

Bosnia is working to overcome "a wall of distrust between Muslims and non-Muslims."

Condemnation of Islam harms ordinary Muslims, experts said. [AFP]

ISIS fighters are in control of many strongholds in the -mainly Sunni- Salahuddin (Saladin) area north of Baghdad, as well as other cities along the river Tiger. At the same time, many Shiite guardsmen have gathered to fight against ISIS.

Syrian regime forces and Kurdish militia fought separate battles with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on March 2 in a strategic area near the Iraqi and Turkish borders, a monitoring group said.
      

Twitter Inc and law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged threats made by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants against the social media network's co-founder and other employees, the company said in reaction to media reports.
   

Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against a Turkish noncommissioned officer who was kidnapped by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants in January, for ?harming the reputation of the state and the army,? daily Milliyet has reported.