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Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Dec. 22

Xinhua,December 23, 2017 Adjust font size:

ANKARA -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday voiced their support for the UN's rejection to Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The two leaders made the remarks in a phone conversation, stressing that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be resolved based on the UN resolution. (Turkey-Russia-Jerusalem)

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ISTANBUL -- An Istanbul prosecutor on Friday demanded aggravated life sentences for 159 soldiers accused of attempts to seize the city's Ataturk airport during a coup bid last year, local media reported.

The defendants were charged with allegations of attempting to overthrow the Turkish government and the parliament, being members of a terror group, deliberate murder and violating the Constitution, said a Daily Sabah report. (Turkey-Coup Trial)

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TRIPOLI -- Saadi Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, is still in prison in the Libyan capital Tripoli, according to the director of investigation department at the Libyan Attorney General.

Siddiq Sour told Xinhua on Thursday that Saadi Gaddafi has been in prison in Tripoli for three years. "He is inside prison in Tripoli and he is fine." (Libya-Gaddafi)

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ADEN, Yemen -- A total of 12 fighters of the Shiite Houthi group were killed in airstrikes conducted by Saudi-led warplanes near the country's southeastern region of Shabwa on Friday, a military official told Xinhua.

"Fighter jets of the Saudi-led coalition carried out airstrikes and bombed a convoy of reinforcements for the pro-Houthi forces in a road between al-Bayda and southeastern Shabwa province," the local military official said on condition of anonymity. (Yemen-Houthis) Enditem