Ankara vows ‘retaliation’ against Syrian attack on Turkish troops

ANKARA

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Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has said an attack by the Syrian regime that killed three Turkish troops in northern Syria will “not be left unanswered,” vowing that the Turkish army’s determination to “clear the area of terrorists is unaffected by the move.”

“It is obvious that there are some who are unhappy with Turkey’s fight against [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] DAESH. But this attack and other such attacks [on Turkish troops] will be retaliated,” Yıldırım told reporters on Nov. 24. 

He also reaffirmed the assessment of Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar that the attack was carried out by the Syrian regime. 

“These attacks, wherever they come from, will not weaken the determination of Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces. [The Euphrates Shield operation] safeguards the stability of Syria and the life and property security of Turkey,” Yıldırım added. 

Earlier in the day, the prime minister was briefed on the attack by Akar and Defense Minister Fikri Işık.