'Anadolu Agency Disseminating Voice Of Oppressed Syrians To World'

Syrians, weary of violence and oppression due to ongoing civil war, praised Anadolu Agency for its role in covering the conflict and highlighting humanitarian tragedies since 2011 as Turkey's global news outlet observes it centennial on Monday."The Syrian people see Anadolu Agency as one of the most important media platforms that support the rights of people in the region regardless of their religions, nationalities, and orientations," Mustafa Sejari, a leading member of the Syrian opposition, told Anadolu Agency.

He said Anadolu Agency's role has been seen "in shedding light on the humanitarian suffering that the Syrian people have been experiencing for nine years."

Sejari stressed that Anadolu Agency's coverage of the conflict managed to deliver the voice of Syrian people to international and humanitarian institutions and it shouldered their responsibility.

"The agency's supportive role in the war on terrorism can't be ignored," he said, citing coverage of Turkey-backed Syrian National Army's fight against Daesh/ISIS and YPG/PKK terror groups.

He said Anadolu Agency "covered, with all responsibility and transparency, our military operations -- from our battles against Bashar Al-Assad, the first sponsor of terrorism -- to Operations of Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch."

"On the occasion of the agency's centennial, we raise our thanks and gratitude in the name of the Syrian people to the brothers who are based in the agency, including administrators, consultants, journalists, and field correspondents," Sajeri said.

"Thank you for all that you have provided to the Syrian people, you were their voice and partner in the war on terror and tyranny." - Anadolu Agency, a bridge for communication Mohamed Sarmini, director of Jusoor for Studies, an Istanbul-based think tank, congratulated the media organization on its 100th anniversary. "Anadolu Agency has become an important media platform that represents a bridge for communication between Turkey and the whole world," he said.

"As a native Arabic speaker, the Arabic language department of the agency represents a true bridge for communication between Arab societies and Turkish society."

He pointed out that Anadolu Agency "carried the concerns, woes, and news of the Arab world to Turkey through its distinguished media coverage that helped convey the suffering of the Syrians in their major crisis, both in confronting the tyrant regime and their humanitarian suffering that has been ongoing for nine years."

'Trusted, unbiased source of news for Syrians' Syrian student Mohamed Darwish said, "Anadolu Agency played a pivotal role as it was the eye that showed us the events in Syria from the beginning of the Syrian Uprising."

Anadolu Agency has become "the source of news for Syrians during the conflict and supported the people by spotting the light on their agonies," he added.

He went on to note that "Anadolu Agency is a trusted, unbiased source of news which is our voice to the world."

The history of the Anadolu Agency is almost identical to that of the Turkish Republic. Founded on April 6, 1920, 17 days before the Turkish parliament convened for the first time, Anadolu Agency helped announce the first legislation by the parliament that established the Turkish Republic.

Anadolu Agency witnessed all stages of the national struggle, the War of Independence and reforms of the Republic. Anadolu Agency currently produces news in 13 languages -- Turkish, English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Kurdish in two dialects, Kurmanji and Sorani, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, Russian, Albanian, Persian, Macedonian and Indonesian.

As a global news agency, Anadolu Agency is among the 10 most influential media outlets in the world, providing nearly 6,000 subscribers from 100 countries with thousands of news stories, photos, videos, infographics and other information-based content through its global network of correspondents and photojournalists in 86 countries. -