Thursday, June 25, 2015

Turkey Accused of 'Supporting ISIL' as Jihadists Launch Kobane 'Massacre'


Smoke billow from the Syrian town of Kobane, as seen from the Turkish side of the border in Suruc in Sanliurfa province on June 25, 2015. Turkey denied baseless claims that Islamic State (IS) militants reentered the Syrian town of Kobane through the Turkish border crossing to detonate a suicide bomb,

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A leader of one of Turkey's pro-Kurdish parties has accused the Turkish state of aiding and supporting ISIL following a fresh attack on the Syrian city of Kobane, which has been described as a "massacre".
Figen Yuksekdag, co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), reacted angrily to the news that ISIL fighters had entered Kobane and started attacking civilians, saying that there was a "high probability" that the attackers had traveled to the city from Turkey, as it lies just a couple of kilometers from the Turkish border.
"The Turkish government has supported ISIL for years. Today's massacre is a part of this support," she said.
The accusations that Turkish border officials may have let the attackers into Syria is set to stir more animosity among Turkey's large Kurdish minority, who have had longstanding criticisms of their treatment by Ankara.
The Turkish government strongly rejected the claims, with the country's foreign ministry spokesperson labeling the allegations as "lies."
The attack also comes at a crucial time for incumbent Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after his AK Party failed to secure enough seats in Turkey's recent elections to form government, with negotiations continuing to try and create a coalition agreement with minor parties.
Turkey 'Must Prove' it Doesn't Support ISIL

Yuksekdag stepped up the attack on Erdogan, saying that the Turkish establishment was suffering from a lack of credibility over the manner in which the ISIL saga has been managed.
"The remarks of Turkish politicians are null and void for us. It is up to the Turkish government to prove it does not support ISIL."
Although Turkey is part of the US-led coalition against ISIL, the country has come under fierce criticism for its perceived lack of involvement in trying to stop the threat of ISIL in Syria and Iraq, drawing the ire of US officials in the process.

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