Erdogan: Syria has become terrorist hotbed 

Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Russia and Iran should take a clear stand on Syria as the country has become a “hotbed of terrorist groups”.

Erdogan told Turkish broadcaster TRT that the crisis and chaos still exist to the east of the River Euphrates. He insisted that the US does not play the role that it should, and pointed out that he discussed the necessity of US withdrawal from east of the Euphrates with the Russian and Iranian presidents during the Tehran summit last week.

According to the Turkish leader, the presence of the US in Syria “benefits the terrorist organisations.” The US, he added, has provided military training to the terrorists east of the Euphrates. “Unfortunately, such training is ongoing.”

This is not the first time that Erdogan has called on the US to withdraw its troops from the north and east of Syria. “Moreover,” he insisted, “the issue of [Turkiye’s] new military operation in northern Syria will remain on our agenda until our national security concerns are dispelled.”

READ: Russia, Iran’s support for Syria regime unacceptable