Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has criticized Western countries for disrespecting Turkey’s security concerns, saying they may have advanced technology but Turkey has faith in God.
Speaking at his party’s parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday, Erdoğan said the US has been carrying out military operations in Afghanistan for 17 years out of concerns for its security although Afghanistan is far from the US, but they have been exerting pressure on Turkey to conclude its ongoing military operation in the Afrin region of Syria, which began in January.
The Turkish military and Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin against the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), which Turkey sees as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Also criticizing the EU countries for seeking ways to block the entry of refugees to Europe, Erdoğan said Turkey opened its doors to all the refugees to save their lives.
“They [Western countries] might have tanks, rockets and this and that being sent into space. So be it. We have faith in God. We will walk like this. The terror corridor that is aimed to be established along the borders of our country might have only one goal, and that is Turkey,” Erdoğan said, adding that Turkey’s allies have turned their back on the country.
It is common for the Turkish president to use anti-Western rhetoric in his speeches and accuse Western countries of acting hypocritically in their relations with Turkey.