Turkey mulling over buffer zone on southern border

On Monday, Turkish media outlets quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying that Ankara will work on the plan and weigh the necessity of such a move.

The Turkish president made the remarks on his plane as he returned from an official visit to Qatar.

A source close to Erdogan confirmed that the president had made the remarks, but did not provide further details on the issue.

Turkey has reportedly been the main entry point for foreign Takfiri militants who seek to join the ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

Ankara has been under pressure to prevent the terrorists from using its territory to enter the neighboring countries.

Reports also say militants use Turkish territory to sell oil smuggled from Iraq.

Earlier this week, Francis Ricciardone, who was the US envoy to Ankara until late June, accused Turkey of directly supporting al-Qaeda’s terrorist activities in Syria.

He said the Turkish authorities thought they could work with extremist groups operating inside Syria and at the same time push them to become more moderate.

Ricciardone further noted that he tried to convince the Turkish government to close its borders to the groups, but of no avail.

From the start of the crisis in Syria over three years ago, Turkey allowed its borders to be used as a conduit for aid, weapons and militants heading to the Arab country, according to reports.

The Takfiri ISIL terrorists currently control parts of eastern Syria and Iraq’s northern and western regions. They have committed heinous crimes and threatened all communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and Izadi Kurds, during their advances in Iraq.

The West and its regional allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are giving financial and military support to the militants.

The terrorist group has links with Saudi intelligence, and is believed to be supported by the Israeli regime.

HK

Turkey mulling over 'buffer zone' on southern border