Erdogan accuses the West of 'standing by terrorists' in Syria

Ankara's military action against Kurdish forces who played a key role in the fight against the Islamic State group has drawn widespread international criticism.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab & agencies

21 October, 2019

Erdogan launched an offensive against Kurdish fighters on October 9 [Getty]

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attacked Western leaders for blasting Turkey’s offensive in Northern Syria, saying they are “standing by terrorists”.

"Can you imagine the whole West stood by the terrorists and all attacked us including NATO member states and European Union countries?" Erdogan said to AFP in Istanbul.

"Since when did you start to side with terror? Did PYD-YPG (Syrian Kurdish forces) join NATO and we do not know about it?" he asked.

The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara, the US and the EU.

Ankara's military action against Kurdish forces who played a key role in the fight against the Islamic State group has drawn widespread international criticism and prompted some NATO countries to suspend new arms sales.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly voiced "serious concerns" about the military operation launched on October 9 to push Syrian Kurdish forces back from the border.

Erdogan denied any territorial ambition saying: "Turkey does not have an eye on any country's territory ... We consider such an accusation as the biggest insult directed to us."

Turkey has announced a 120-hour suspension of the offensive following a deal with US Vice President Mike Pence, under which Kurdish fighters were to withdraw to allow a "safe zone" to be set up along the border.

Erdogan was to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.