China's innovative tunnel-boring machine is showing off its strength in Türkiye, assisting the country's largest city Istanbul in constructing one of its most important road projects.
On Friday, with the witness of Türkiye's transport and infrastructure minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, construction officially began for a tunnel under the Sarıyer-Kilyos highway project, which is an important part of China-Türkiye cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
About four kilometers of the seven-kilometer tunnel, or its most complex and critical section, will be excavated by "CREC No. 1294", a tunnel-boring machine made by China Railway Group Limited. It is currently the largest-diameter earth pressure balance shield machine exported overseas by China.
The new highway is expected to cut the time for residents in the north to travel to business districts such as Maslak from 35 minutes to five minutes, ease traffic congestion and boost regional economy.
"The mountain is very deep, with the deepest point reaching 172 meters. The water pressure could be more than five kilograms. In this case, water will rush in. Our tunnel boring machine will smoothly discharge the slag from the high-water-pressure areas and high-mountain areas without putting workers in any danger," said Wang Jianwei, Chinese technical manager of the Sarıyer-Kilyos highway project.
The shield machine features a cutterhead with a diameter of 13.65 meters, and weighs approximately 2,850 tons. It is designed with continuous excavation and other advanced technologies.
"Both of its engine and its backup materials are well-designed and we have also confirmed that they are equipment that you can find quick solutions to any malfunction. It can help us meet the deadline. That's why we chose this machine. Our goal is to ensure that this machine digs an average of 13 meters per day," said Sinan Acun, deputy manager of the Sarıyer-Kilyos highway project.
The "CREC No. 1294" shield machine arrived in Türkiye in early April this year and began to be assembled in mid-September. The assembly took 75 days.
After the start of the excavation, all tunneling tasks are expected to be completed in one year.
China's tunnel-boring machine shows off strength in Türkiye's tunnel construction
The airstrike conducted by Saudi-led coalition targeting the port of Mukalla in Yemen's oil-rich Hadramout province early Tuesday morning has caused severe damage to nearby residential buildings and left locals terrified.
According to the coalition, the strike targeted weapons and combat vehicles allegedly unloaded at the port from two unauthorized ships that arrived from the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the weekend.
Coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki said the vessels had disabled their tracking systems and delivered a large cache of arms intended to bolster the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen's Hadramout and Al-Mahra provinces, a move he described as a "clear violation" of the UN Security Council Resolution 2216 of 2015.
He said the operation was conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules, ensuring that no collateral damage occurred.
However, local residents offered a different account, describing scenes of chaos and destruction in the pre-dawn hours following the strike.
"As you can see, this is the severe damage that occurred to our home as a result of the airstrike that targeted the Mukalla port, specifically military vehicles that were next to the house, about 20 to 40 meters away. At exactly 04:30, the location was targeted with a surprise airstrike, and we were shocked by the sudden violent explosions," said Salem Ali Al-Haj Zaid, a local resident.
Another resident, Um Ali, described the psychological toll on children.
"The children kept crying from the time of the strike until morning. Poor things, they were shocked, scared and unable to sleep again," said Ali.
The strike hit especially hard for Um Mohammed, a widow living on the top floor of a residential building near the port.
"We were terrified. My mother is old. The most damage was to the floor of the building where I live, and I am a widow. Who will compensate us for this?" said Mohammed.
The reported attacks come amid heightened military escalation in Hadramout, where Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have warned of possible military action following the STC's refusal to withdraw its forces from the governorate.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition called on all civilians to immediately evacuate the port of Mukalla to ensure their safety, according to the Saudi state news agency SPA.
Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout governorate, is a key port city on Yemen's southeastern coast, with strategic and economic value.
Saudi-led airstrike on Yemen's Mukalla port damages homes, sparking fear among locals
