Erdogan: Russia Is Attempting To Create New State in Syria
Reuters reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes that Russia intends to create a new state in Syria. According to the news agency, Erdogan said that the Russian air force continues to carry out attacks on Syrian Turkish rebels in the northern part of the country. He also harshly criticized Iran for using the situation in Syria, Iraq and Yemen in order to extend its influence in the region.
Relations between Russia and Turkey deteriorated after a Turkish F-16 fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 fighter-bomber on the 24th of November 2015. Russia imposed special economic sanctions against Turkey after this incident.
On September 30th, Russia started to carry out targeted airstrikes on Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra positions at the request of Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad. Both groups are outlawed in Russia. Several hundred military units and thousands of terrorist facilities were destroyed by Russian Air Force with the assistance of ships from the Caspian Fleet and the submarine “Rostov-on-Don” of the Black Sea Fleet.