Turkey’s Erdogan: US still feeding terrorism in Syria, Iraq

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that the United States continues to support terrorism inside Syria and Iraq, blaming the insecurity faced by the Arab nations on the United States and its allies while claiming that Ankara is fighting terrorists in Syria.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday following a one-day working visit to Ukraine, Erdogan said it is Washington and its allied forces that “primarily feed terrorism” in Syria.

“They did it brutally and they still do it,” he said. “They did not get tired of it, and they also made the same feeding in Iraq. To whom? Again to terrorist organizations. If there is unrest in Iraq today, unfortunately, America lies behind it.”

Countless reports have emerged over the years revealing the US military’s support for terrorist groups, including Daesh, in Syria and Iraq.

Back in May, a number of captured Daesh terrorists confessed to close cooperation with US military forces stationed at al-Tanf base, which is situated near Syria’s borders with Iraq and Jordan, in the central Syrian province of Homs on carrying out various acts of terror and sabotage.

During confessions broadcast on Syria’s state-run television network, several terrorists revealed that they were instructed by American forces to target Syrian government troops in and around the ancient city of Palmyra, the Tiyas Military Airbase – also known as the T-4 Airbase, the Shaer gas field as well as nearby oil wells.

US training Daesh terrorists at Syria’s al-Tanf base to be sent to Ukraine: Russian intelligence service

US occupation forces are reportedly training some 500 Daesh terrorists in order to carry out acts of sabotage and terrorists attacks against units of Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

Syria’s official news agency SANA, citing local sources speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that a number of Daesh terrorists were being trained at the US military base in al-Shaddadi town of Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah on how to fire rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), shoulder-launched rockets as well as anti-armor and anti-aircraft missiles.

However, Erdogan made the remarks in reference to US-backed Kurdish militants affiliated with the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with which Turkey has been fighting in Syria. Damascus has repeatedly denounced both Washington and Ankara’s illegal military presence on Syrian soil.

Ankara not eyeing Syrian territory: Erdogan

In his Friday remarks, Erdogan once again claimed that Ankara’s main contention is the fight against terrorism in northern Syria, adding that Turkey is ready for a military operation against terrorist groups in the Arab country.

The Turkish president also said Ankara is not eyeing Syria and that Syria’s territorial integrity is important to Turkey.

“We do not have eyes on the territory of Syria because the people of Syria are our brothers. We have no such problem there. The integrity of their territory is important to us,” he said.

US forces relocate Daesh members from camp in Syria to Iraq’s Mosul

American forces have secretly transferred a group of Daesh families from the notorious al-Hawl camp in Syria to a facility near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, a report says.

On August 8, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted at his country’s plan for a new cross-border operation in Syria to remove members of the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militant group, which is the backbone of the SDF.

“We will continue our fight against terrorism. Our decision to establish a 30-kilometer-deep (18.6-mile) secure line along our southern border is final,” Erdogan said in an address to Turkish diplomats attending the 13th Ambassadors Conference in the capital Ankara.

Last month, Erdogan stated that a new Turkish operation against the YPG militants will remain on the agenda until security concerns are addressed.

On Tuesday, the Syrian armed forces carried out a counterattack against Turkish military sites inside Syria, causing material and human losses on them. The reprisal came after a Turkish airstrike killed at least three Syrian soldiers and wounded six others near the western Syrian city of Aleppo.

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