Turkey, a NATO member, threatened the Russian Federation with “serious consequences” following the Russian bombing of terrorists in Syria.
Officials in Ankara have warned Russia to “immediately end its operation” after war planes hit Syrian ground “very close” to the Turkish border.
Ethnic Turks in Syria have come under “intensive” bombardment by the Russian military, according to the Turkish foreign ministry. Russia’s ambassador was summoned by the foreign ministry in Ankara and told of Turkey’s concern for ethnic Turks living near the boarder with Syria.
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Turkey demands a halt to the Russian air campaign against ISIS targets in northern Syria along her border. The Turkish foreign ministry has warned the Russian Ambassador that the targeting of civilian Turkmen villages “could lead to serious consequences.” Turkey has also warned Russia against supporting Syrian Kurds involved in the fight against ISIS.
The Kremlin has insisted that its air strikes are only targeting the abhorrent Islamic State terrorists, but Turkey and its allies claim Putin’s forces are mainly hitting anti-Assad rebels.
Irish Daily Star reports:
Should Turkey ever be attacked by Russia, all of NATO are obliged to hit back.
In the meeting with the Russian ambassador, Andrei Karlov, Turkey demanded a halt to Russian military operations in Syria near the Turkish border.
“It was stressed that the Russian side’s actions were not a fight against terror, but they bombed civilian Turkish villages and this could lead to serious consequences,” the foreign ministry said.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is already angry about Russia’s increasing involvement in the Syrian conflict.
Ankara has traditionally expressed solidarity with the Syrian Turkmen, who are Syrians of Turkish descent who are fighting Assad’s regime forces.
The foreign ministry said Turkmen villages were subject to “heavy bombardment” by the Russian planes in the Bayirbucak area of northwest Syria, close to Turkey’s Yayladag border gate in Hatay province.
Turkey has also warned Moscow against supplying arms and support for Syrian Kurdish forces fighting ISIS in Syria.
