The Atlantic Alliance, meeting in emergency Tuesday in Brussels at the request of Turkey, has provided strong support for Ankara in its dual offensive against Kurdish rebels and the Islamic State group.
“NATO following developments very closely and we assure our Turkish ally our strong solidarity,” said the secretary general of NATO, Norway’s Jens Stoltenberg, at the opening of the meeting of ambassadors of the 28 member countries the Alliance.
“Terrorism in all its forms can not under any circumstances be justified or tolerated,” Mr. Stoltenberg argued, citing “instability to the gates of Turkey and the borders of NATO.”
Long accused of complacency vis-à-vis the radical organizations in struggle against the regime in Damascus, the Turkish Islamic-conservative government comes to change tack after the deadly suicide bombing Suruç (southern Turkey), attributed to IE, and the death of one of its soldiers killed in a jihadist attack on the Syrian border.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated on Tuesday that his country would not bow to the threat “terrorist” and continue with “determination” its fight against the jihadists of the Islamic State (EI) and the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK ).
“There’s no way to retreat. This is a long process and this process will continue with the same determination, “Erdogan promised when opened the Nato meeting on the security situation in Turkey.