Kurds unleash anger as Turkey fails to intervene against ISIL
- 10 years ago
There have been violent clashes throughout Turkey as Kurdish demonstrators denounce the government’s refusal to intervene militarily to stop the Syrian border town of Kobani falling into the hands of ISIL jihadists.
From Diyabakir in the east to the capital Ankara, Istanbul and elsewhere, Kurds are unleashing anger fuelled by their suspicions that Turkey is actually supporting the Sunni Muslim militants.
Turkey strongly denies this but so far has made no move to get involved in fighting to save the Kurdish town on its frontier. Injuries and at least one death marked Tuesday’s protests.
Visiting a camp for Syrian refugees, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered little hope for Kobani, saying that it was “about to fall” and warning that air strikes alone would not stop the self-proclaimed Islamic State group.
He also said that Turkey had warned the West of the need for a No-fly zone, a secure zone parallel to that, and the training of moderate Syrian rebels.
Ankara says the scope of the campaign in Syria should be broadened to seek to remove President Assad from power.
As pressure piles on Turkey, endangering the fragile peace process with its own Kurds, the tens of thousands who have crossed the border from Syria seeking refuge face a difficult and uncertain future.
From Diyabakir in the east to the capital Ankara, Istanbul and elsewhere, Kurds are unleashing anger fuelled by their suspicions that Turkey is actually supporting the Sunni Muslim militants.
Turkey strongly denies this but so far has made no move to get involved in fighting to save the Kurdish town on its frontier. Injuries and at least one death marked Tuesday’s protests.
Visiting a camp for Syrian refugees, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered little hope for Kobani, saying that it was “about to fall” and warning that air strikes alone would not stop the self-proclaimed Islamic State group.
He also said that Turkey had warned the West of the need for a No-fly zone, a secure zone parallel to that, and the training of moderate Syrian rebels.
Ankara says the scope of the campaign in Syria should be broadened to seek to remove President Assad from power.
As pressure piles on Turkey, endangering the fragile peace process with its own Kurds, the tens of thousands who have crossed the border from Syria seeking refuge face a difficult and uncertain future.