Erdogan:

Turkey Has Evidence of US-Led Coalition Support to ISIL Terror Group

Rasa - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country is in possession of confirmed evidence” of US-led coalition’s support to terrorist groups, including the ISIL terror group.

News ID: 426107

Date: 28 December 2016 - 22:15

RNA - “They give support to terrorist groups including ISIL… It's very clear. We have confirmed evidence, with pictures, photos and videos," Erdogan said during a press conference Tuesday, TASS reported.

Erdogan’s announcement came just a day after former US Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein accused Washington of supporting terrorist groups when it serves its interests.

A US Department of State spokesman, Mark Toner, strongly rejected the accusations as having "no basis for truth."

"I don’t think anyone could look at our actions on the ground leading the coalition in northern Syria, in Iraq and say anything other than that we’re 100% behind the defeat, destruction of Daesh, and even beyond Syria and Iraq, seeing its networks dismantled, destroyed around the region, or outside of the region around the world," Toner said.

The spokesman added that the United States is "working constructively with Turkey to lead those efforts."

Erdogan has also called on Saudi Arabia and Qatar to join Russia, Turkey and Iran in peace talks on Syria. The Turkish leader said officials of these Persian Gulf states should be included in the talks of foreign ministers in Kazakhstan next month, as their countries had "shown goodwill and given support'' to Syria, AP reported.

However, the Turkish president stressed that Ankara itself would not take part should Syrian Kurdish groups, whom he called "terrorist organizations", be invited to take part in the meeting.

847/940