ISTANBUL (AP) — Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday as part of the two countries’ efforts to normalize ties that were strained over historic disputes and Turkey’s alliance with Azerbaijan.

The talks between the two countries, which have no formal diplomatic ties, were expected to center on the possible reopening of their joint border as well as the war between Israel and Iran.

Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan, shut down its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of solidarity with Baku, which was locked in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In 2020, Turkey strongly backed Azerbaijan in the six-week conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal that saw Azerbaijan gain control of a significant part of the region.

Turkey and Armenia also have a more than century-old dispute over the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey.

Historians widely view the event as genocide. Turkey vehemently rejects the label, conceding that many died in that era but insisting that the death toll is inflated and the deaths resulted from civil unrest.

The rare visit by an Armenian leader comes after Ankara and Yerevan agreed in 2021 to launch efforts toward normalizing ties and appointed special representatives to lead talks.

Pashinyan previously visited Turkey in 2023 when he attended a presidential inauguration ceremony following an election victory by Erdogan. The two have also held talks on the sideline of a meeting in Prague in 2022.

It is Ankara and Yerevan’s second attempt at reconciliation. Turkey and Armenia reached an agreement in 2009 to establish formal relations and to open their border, but the deal was never ratified because of strong opposition from Azerbaijan.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish court on Tuesday sentenced a far-right politician to more than two years in prison for inciting public hatred and hostility, but ordered his release because of time already served.

Umit Ozdag, the leader of Turkey’s Victory Party, was detained in January over accusations that he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with comments that he made during a party meeting.

A day later, Ozdag was formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for last year’s anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central Turkish province of Kayseri, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked.

Ozdag, a 64-year-old former academic, is an outspoken critic of Turkey’s refugee policies, and has previously called for the repatriation of millions of Syrian refugees.

During his trial, Ozdag acknowledged advocating the return of refugees, but strongly denied that he had incited violence against them. He maintained that his imprisonment was politically motivated and aimed at silencing him.

The court sentenced him to two years and four months in prison, but ordered his release, ruling that he has already served a sufficient portion of the sentence.

The trial took place amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.

Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition — the Republican People’s Party, or CHP — have faced waves of arrests this year. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, viewed as the main challenger to Erdogan’s two-decade rule, was detained in March over allegations of corruption.

Many people in Turkey consider the cases to be politically driven, according to opinion polls. However, Erdogan’s government insists that the courts are impartial and free from political involvement.

GURBULAK BORDER CROSSING, Turkey (AP) — At a border crossing between Turkey and Iran, Shirin Talebi was anxiously waiting on Monday for her children and grandchildren to arrive from Tehran. The family are planning to stay for a month or two in Turkey, seeking temporary refuge from the conflict between Israel and Iran.

“I’m here because of safety. They are bombing. My children have small children of their own,” said Talebi, who had just arrived at the Gurbulak-Bazargan border crossing from the Iranian city of Urmia.

“Hopefully, it is over in one or two months so we can return to our country,” she said.

Turkey, which shares a 569 kilometer-long (348 miles) border with Iran, has expressed deep concern over the escalating armed conflict between Iran and Israel.

Israel launched an assault on Iran’s top military leaders, uranium enrichment sites and nuclear scientists that it said was necessary to prevent the country from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. Friday’s surprise attack came two days before Iran and the U.S. were set to hold a negotiating session for a deal over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iran has retaliated by firing waves of ballistic missiles at Israel.

There are fears in Turkey that a prolonged conflict could threaten its security, cause energy disruptions and lead to refugee flows.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that Turkey was ready to act as a “facilitator” toward ending the conflict and resuming nuclear negotiations in telephone calls with U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Observers have noted an increase in arrivals from Iran since the conflict, though Turkish officials have dismissed social media reports of a large-scale refugee influx as unfounded. Turkey has not provided any official figures for arrivals.

“Our Ministry of Interior and relevant security units confirm that there is no unusual movement, congestion or irregular crossing at both the Kapıkoy and Gurbulak border gates,” the Turkish presidential communications office said.

Turkey allows Iranians to enter the country without a visa for tourism purposes and stay for up to 90 days.

At Gurbulak, one of the busiest crossings between Turkey and Iran, bus driver Ferit Aktas had just brought a group of Iranians to the border gate from Istanbul and was waiting to pick up others.

“About a week or 10 days ago, there would be between three and five people (Iranians) who would come for shopping or tourism. But now, I can say, that there are at least 30 Iranians in my vehicle per day,” he said.

“They say, ‘We are not safe there and we are forced to come.’ Most of them want to go to Europe, they want to go to Europe through Turkey,” Aktas said.

Mejid Dehimi, also from Umria, arrived in Turkey for a week-long break, not to escape the conflict. He expressed support for his country’s leaders.

“We are not afraid of death,” he said. “We will stand against Israel until our last breath and for as long as our lives allow.”

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish far-right politician accused of inciting public hatred and hostility went on trial Wednesday in a case critics view as an effort to suppress opposition to the president.

Umit Ozdag, the leader of Turkey’s Victory Party, was detained in January over accusations he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with comments he made during a party meeting in Antalya.

A day later Ozdag was formally arrested and charged with inciting hatred against migrants. He was blamed for last year’s anti-Syrian refugee riots in the central Turkish province of Kayseri last year, during which hundreds of homes and businesses were attacked.

Prosecutors have presented a series of posts from Ozdag’s social media as evidence against him. He faces up to four years in prison if found guilty.

Ozdag, a 64-year-old former academic, is an outspoken critic of Turkey’s refugee policies and has previously called for the repatriation of millions of Syrian refugees.

Ozdag acknowledged advocating the return of refugees at the opening hearing of his trial at a prison complex on the outskirts of Istanbul. He denied he had incited for violence against them and told the court he had worked to calm tensions in Kayseri.

In his defense statement, Ozdag maintained that his imprisonment was politically motivated and aimed at silencing him over his criticism of the government’s recent effort to end a decades-long conflict with the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.

“The reason why I am here … is because I criticized the talks held with the PKK terrorist organization’s chief,” Ozdag said.

The Victory Party strongly opposes any concessions to the PKK which Turkey, along with many Western states including the United States, Britain and the European Union, considers a terrorist organization. The conflict with the PKK has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths since the 1980s.

When the trial opened Wednesday, Ozdag’s lawyers requested more time to prepare, and the proceedings were adjourned until Tuesday.

The politician’s trial comes amid a widespread crackdown on the opposition to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.

Officials from municipalities controlled by the main opposition — the Republican People’s Party, or CHP — have faced waves of arrests this year. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was detained in March over allegations of corruption.

Many people in Turkey consider the cases to be politically driven, according to opinion polls. However, Erdogan’s government insists the courts are impartial and free from political involvement.

Imamoglu is widely viewed as the main challenger to Erdogan’s two-decade rule and is the CHP’s candidate for the next presidential election. The election is due in 2028 but could be held earlier.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey will export 48 of its nationally-produced KAAN fighter jets to Indonesia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday, marking the first export deal for the advanced aircraft that is still in the development stage.

Erdogan said in an X post that the 48 KAAN fighter jets would be manufactured in Turkey and exported to Indonesia, adding that Indonesia’s “local capabilities” would be integrated into the production process.

The Turkish leader didn’t elaborate or disclose the financial details of the agreement.

The deal came on the sidelines of the defense industry exposition, Indo Defence 2025, in Jakarta, Turkey’s Sabah newspaper reported.

“This agreement showcases the progress and achievements of our domestic and national defense industry,” Erdogan said. He also praised Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto for his role in securing the agreement.

Turkey’s first indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet, the KAAN successfully completed its maiden flight in 2024. Its first units are expected to be delivered in 2028.

The deal came amid growing economic and defense ties between Turkey and Indonesia. Earlier this year, the two countries agreed on the joint development of a Baykar combat-drone factory in Indonesia.

Pakistan and Azerbaijan, which also have strong defense ties with Turkey, are reported to be interested in purchasing KAAN fighters.

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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Less spending, higher prices and fewer animal sacrifices subdued the usual festive mood as the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha was celebrated around the world.

Eid al-Adha, known as the “Feast of Sacrifice,” coincides with the final rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

It’s a joyous occasion, for which food is a hallmark, with devout Muslims buying and slaughtering animals and sharing two-thirds of the meat with the poor.

‘No flour, no shelter, no mosques’

Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked the start of the three-day feast early Friday with prayers outside destroyed mosques and homes.

For the second year since the war with Israel broke out, no Muslims in Gaza were able to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the traditional pilgrimage. With much of Gaza in rubble, men and children were forced to hold Eid al-Adha prayers in the open air, and with food supplies dwindling, families were having to make do with what they could scrape together.

“This is the worst feast that the Palestinian people have experienced because of the unjust war against the Palestinian people,” said Kamel Emran after attending prayers in the southern city of Khan Younis. “There is no food, no flour, no shelter, no mosques, no homes, no mattresses … The conditions are very, very harsh.”

The U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome said Thursday that Gaza’s people are projected to fall into acute food insecurity by September, with nearly 500,000 people experiencing extreme food deprivation, leading to malnutrition and starvation.

“This means the risk of famine is really touching the whole of the Gaza Strip,” said Rein Paulson, director of the FAO office of emergencies and resilience.

Prayers for Gaza

The war in Gaza and the struggle to celebrate were at the forefront of the minds of Muslims in Kenya, Imam Abdulrahman Mursal said as he led Eid prayers in the capital, Nairobi.

“We ask Allah to hear their (Palestinian) cries. We feel their pain, as much as we are far from them,” Mursal said. “But what unites us is our Muslim brotherhood, so we ask Allah to give them victory and to give victory to all the other Muslims wherever they are, if they are facing any kind of oppression.

Eid preparations in South Asia

Eid al-Adha commemorates the Quranic tale of Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God. Before he could carry out the sacrifice, God provided a ram as an offering. In the Christian and Jewish telling, Abraham is ordered to kill another son, Isaac.

South Asian countries like India and Bangladesh will celebrate Eid al-Adha on Saturday. Ahead of the festival, many Muslims in the region were turning to livestock markets to buy and sell millions of animals for sacrifice.

In New Delhi, sellers were busy tending to their animals and negotiating with potential buyers.

Mohammad Ali Qureshi, one of the sellers, said this year his goats were fetching higher prices than last year: “Earlier, the sale of goats was slow, but now the market is good. Prices are on the higher side.”

Festival preparations also were peaking in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where many Muslims dye sheep and goats in henna before they are sacrificed.

“We are following the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim,” said Riyaz Wani, a resident in Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, as his family applied henna on a sheep they plan to sacrifice.

Indonesia markets changing

In Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, Muslim worshippers were shoulder-to-shoulder in the streets and the Istiqlal Grand Mosque was filled for morning prayers Friday.

Outside Jakarta, the Jonggol Cattle Market bustled with hundreds of traders hoping to sell to buyers looking for sacrificial animals. While sales increased ahead of Eid, sellers said their businesses have lost customers in recent years due to economic hardship following the COVID-19 pandemic.

A foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 2022 and 2023 significantly dampened the typically booming holiday trade in goats, cows and sheep, though Indonesia’s government has worked to overcome that outbreak.

Rahmat Debleng, one of the sellers in the market, said before the pandemic and the FMD outbreak, he could sell more than 100 cows two weeks ahead of Eid al-Adha. But on the eve of the celebration this year, only 43 of his livestock were sold and six cows are still left in his stall.

Jakarta city administration data recorded the number of sacrificial animals available this year at 35,133, a decline of 57% compared to the previous year.

Stoning the devil at the Hajj

More than 1.6 million Muslims were in Mina, Saudi Arabia, on Friday to perform the Hajj ritual, the symbolic stoning of the devil.

Mina is where Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim’s faith was tested when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Ismail.

Ibrahim was prepared to submit to the command, but then God stayed his hand, sparing his son. In the Christian and Jewish versions of the story, Abraham is ordered to kill his other son, Isaac.

Solidarity and prayer in Congo

As Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha, the holiday was tinged with bitterness in the rebel-controlled city of Goma, in eastern Congo.

Under the looming shadow of the occupation, hundreds of worshippers wearing colourful tunics and hijabs gathered at Goma’s Stadium of Unity to pray for peace.

The decades-long conflict in eastern Congo escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma.

Despite the challenging situation in the region, those gathered expressed their gratitude for being able to celebrate the holiday.

“We were anxious because of the war, but by God’s grace, we made it here,” Fatuma Ramazani, a Muslim resident of Goma, told The Associated Press. “We prayed ‘in’ peace, and that is why we prayed ‘for’ peace to return,” he added.

“Islam is a religion of peace, so we can only pray for peace and for God’s grace to help all those involved in this security issue to see how to prioritize peace,” Grâce Omar, another worshipper, said.

In the crowded stadium, imams emphasized the importance of solidarity and prayer in difficult times.

“Today is a special day for Muslims, so I take this opportunity to pray to God to bring peace to Congo in general, and to areas plagued by violence, like Goma, in particular. It is time for people to say ‘enough’ to all that is happening in the country,” said Imam Sheikh Sabiti Djaffar Al Katanty.

Hardship and hope in Nigeria

Eid al-Adha celebrations in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, were overshadowed by one of the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades.

The severe hardship stems from recent government economic policies, intended to boost savings and attract investors. Instead, these measures have fueled high inflation and sent the naira plummeting to record lows against the dollar.

The cost of rams for the traditional Eid al-Adha sacrifice, central to the celebration, has more than doubled since last year.

Despite these challenges, some devout Muslims in Nigeria, where roughly half the population practices Islam, found reason for hope.

“We know prices are a bit on the high side and everything is hard,” Lagos student Amira Mustapha said. “But we should look beyond that and see the positive side of things, celebrate, be joyful for seeing another year and pray for seeing many more years.”

Christians and Muslims brought together in Turkey

An event celebrating Eid-al-Adha on Friday brought together Christian and Muslim religious leaders and citizens in Turkey’s southeastern city of Mardin, according to state-run media.

Organized by the Mardin Municipality’s Art Academy, attendees included Mardin Governor Tuncay Akkoyun, Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop Saliba Ozmen and Deputy Mufti Ali Uney, alongside congregants from both faiths.

“Recently we celebrated Easter. Today we’re celebrating Eid al-Adha. Tomorrow there will be another holiday, and we will again be together, said Bishop Ozmen.

Deputy Mufti Uney praised the gathering as a “great example of co-existence” and wished for fraternity and solidarity.

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Associated Press journalists Shonal Ganguly, in New Delhi, Dar Yasin in Srinagar, India, Inaara Gangji, in Nairobi, Justin Kabumba, in Goma, Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey and Dan Ikpoyi in Lagos, Nigeria contributed to this report.