Govt source: Ankara isn't preparing to invade Northern Syria
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A source from the Turkish Prime Minister's office has said that his country isn't preparing to militarily invade northern Syria.
The clarification was made in a response to Russian Maj. Gen. Igor Konaschenkov who claimed that there are "signs of hidden preparation of Turkish armed forces for activities in the territory of Syria."
The Turkish source disputed these claims, "Simply they are diverting attention from their attacks on civilians as a country already invading Syria. Turkey has all the rights to take any measures to protect its own security,” he told CNN Thursday.
Turkey wants a halt to Russian-Syrian bombing. Bombing of Turkmen fighters engaged against the Syrian regime has driven thousands of them to seek refuge in Turkey. Similarly the Russian-Syrian bombing and offensive in Aleppo early this week is reportedly resulting in more refugees flying toward Turkey.
"Ten thousand new refugees are waiting in front of the door of Kilis because of air bombardments and attacks against Aleppo," said Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at a London fundraising conference for Syrian refugees.
"Sixty to seventy thousand people are moving towards Turkey," he added."My mind is not now in London, but in our border -- how to relocate these new pepole coming from Syria?"
"Three hundred thousand people living in Aleppo are ready to move towards Turkey," he added.
In a visit to Ecuador on Thursday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the strikes declaring, "Our European friends want us to end the refugee flow. How can this flow be stopped as long as the strikes continue?"
The clarification was made in a response to Russian Maj. Gen. Igor Konaschenkov who claimed that there are "signs of hidden preparation of Turkish armed forces for activities in the territory of Syria."
The Turkish source disputed these claims, "Simply they are diverting attention from their attacks on civilians as a country already invading Syria. Turkey has all the rights to take any measures to protect its own security,” he told CNN Thursday.
Turkey wants a halt to Russian-Syrian bombing. Bombing of Turkmen fighters engaged against the Syrian regime has driven thousands of them to seek refuge in Turkey. Similarly the Russian-Syrian bombing and offensive in Aleppo early this week is reportedly resulting in more refugees flying toward Turkey.
"Ten thousand new refugees are waiting in front of the door of Kilis because of air bombardments and attacks against Aleppo," said Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at a London fundraising conference for Syrian refugees.
"Sixty to seventy thousand people are moving towards Turkey," he added."My mind is not now in London, but in our border -- how to relocate these new pepole coming from Syria?"
"Three hundred thousand people living in Aleppo are ready to move towards Turkey," he added.
In a visit to Ecuador on Thursday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the strikes declaring, "Our European friends want us to end the refugee flow. How can this flow be stopped as long as the strikes continue?"