Islam Times - Turkey Turned into Terrorism Patron under Erdoğan: Republican People’s Party Leader

Turkey Turned into Terrorism Patron under Erdoğan: Republican People’s Party Leader

Islam Times - As Syria seeks to clear its lands of terrorists, Turkey has become a patron for extremist organisations under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s policies, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu told newspaper Cumhuriyet on Monday.

“Erdoğan has made Turkey almost a patron for the HTŞ,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in the interview, referring to the former Al Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

“Our sons are martyred due to the wrongful policies of the government in Syria since the beginning of the civil war,” the CHP leader said.

Turkish people are unaware of exactly what is happening in Syria’s Idlib province, and “hear about how our soldiers are martyred from Russian sources,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) announced on Sunday the killing of 16 Turkish soldiers in the war-torn country since the beginning of this year, while in Syria’s rebel-held Idlib another 16 Turkish troops were killed by government forces in February.

Erdoğan on Friday called the ongoing conflict in Idlib a “war,” and said Turkey would remain in Idlib until Syrian government forces “end their cruelty” against the people of the region.

Turkey’s parliament has not been consulted regarding a war, Kılıçdaroğlu said, adding, “Is there a logical reason for the Turkish army to fight the Syrian and Russian armies?”

Turkey could construct camps with good conditions within Syria’s borders to house civilians with support from the EU, if the issue is to maintain Syria’s territorial integrity and avoid further migration, the opposition leader said.

The government should inform parliament on why Turkey has been made into a party in Syria and Russia’s attacks against jihadist groups, Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Erdoğan’s government has polarised the country to remain in power, but the cost of such divisive policies over faith, ethnicity and lifestyle “are best exemplified in the Middle East quagmire,” he added, accusing the government of tearing society away from democracy, human rights and judicial independence.