Intl. envoy for Syria to hold talks in Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - The UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is due to hold talks in Turkey, amid rising tensions between Ankara and Damascus, BBC News reported.

Brahimi will hear Turkey's perspective on the raging crisis from Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the visit coming just days after five Turkish civilians were killed in shelling from across the Syrian border.

Earlier this week, Turkey intercepted a Syria-bound plane amid reports it had Russian-made defense equipment aboard. Syria has dismissed the claim as a lie, challenging Turkey to show any evidence.

And in Syria itself, activists said on Friday, Oct 12, that rebel fighters had seized a government air defense base near the embattled north-western city of Aleppo. The claim has not been independently verified.

Brahimi is due to meet Davutoglu in Istanbul later on Saturday.

The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accuses Turkey, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, or arming the rebels - a claim denied by the those countries.

Brahimi's visit comes a day after he met senior Saudi officials in the city of Jeddah.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdel Aziz bin Abdullah was quoted as urging for "an immediate halt to the bloodshed of the Syrian people".

However, the envoy's visit to the region carries no immediately obvious peace plan, according to BBC.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has suggested Brahimi may head to Damascus next week if his meetings in the region go well.