Erdogan says Turkey could give military support
ISTANBUL: Turkey could give military or logistical support to US-led air strikes against Islamic State insurgents in Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying yesterday.
“We will give the necessary support to the operation. The support could be military or logistics,” Erdogan was quoted by Turkish broadcaster NTV as telling reporters in New York.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Turkey had pledged to take part in the US-led coalition against IS militants following the release of 49 Turkish hostages.
“Turkey is very much part of this coalition, and Turkey will be very engaged on the frontlines of this effort,” Kerry told a global counter-terrorism forum after meeting with Turkish officials.
“Clearly Turkey had an initial challenge with respect to its hostages and that being resolved now Turkey is ready to conduct additional efforts along with the rest of us in order to guarantee success.”
3,000 European militants in Syria, Iraq: EU official
BRUSSELS: The number of Europeans joining Islamist fighters in Syria and Iraq has surged to about 3,000 from 2,000 only months ago, the EU counter-terrorism chief said.
Gilles de Kerchove said the flow of Europeans may have been boosted by the Islamic State militant group’s declaration in June of a caliphate straddling Syria and Iraq.
