Turkey plans to impose 4-day curfew this week

By Firdevs Bulut and Sena Guler

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey plans to extend the weekend curfew this week in 31 provinces as part of measures against the coronavirus, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.

Starting on Thursday, April 23, which is a public holiday commemorating the foundation of Turkish parliament, Turkey will impose curfew in 31 provinces to contain the spread of the virus.

Turkey observes the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day on April 23 every year. This year marks the centennial of the Grand National Assembly.

The curfew will end midnight on April 26.

Erdogan's remarks came after a Cabinet meeting that was held via video link for the fourth time.

On Monday, the coronavirus death toll in Turkey reached 2,140, with 90,980 cases.

- Support for Libyan government

Erdogan also called on international community once again to support legitimate government in Libya against “putschist Haftar”.

Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) on Saturday launched an operation to recapture Tarhuna, a town of strategic value for warlord Khalifa Haftar and his last major stronghold in the area surrounding Tripoli.

Tarhuna is a major focal point for Haftar’s forces in their onslaught against Tripoli as well as for their supply lines from Al-Jufra airbase.

The GNA has been under attack by Haftar's forces since last April, with more than 1,000 killed in the violence. It launched Operation Peace Storm on March 26 to counter attacks on the capital.