All terrorists who kill Muslims have Western weapons: Turkish President Erdoğan

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Erdoğan attended the ceremony in Istanbul on Feb. 9 to launch the Ufuk (A-591) test and training ship. The Ufuk is the fifth ship in MİLGEM -- Turkey's first indigenous warship program -- and it spans 99.5 meters (326 feet) in length and 14.4 meters (42 feet) in width. “The Ufuk corvette will be able to immediately detect threats to our national security, including international waters, for 45 days without pause and in harsh climates and maritime conditions,” Erdoğan said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused Turkey's western allies of arming terrorists and killers who target Muslims around the world.

"Those who give weapons to terrorists with blood-soaked hands create unimagined obstacles when Turkey seeks to buy the same weapons. From Daesh and PKK to Al Qaida and Al Shabaab, all terror organizations that shed the blood of Muslims have Western weapons in their hands," Erdoğan said in Istanbul on Feb. 9 at the launch ceremony of a new test and training ship.

 "The murderers of PYD/YPG, who conduct an ethnic cleansing in northern Syria, have the rockets, bombs and ammunition of our allies. Facing such a picture, Turkey cannot wait with tied-up hands or delegate its national security to other countries," he added.

Erdoğan had signaled earlier this month that a cross-border operation against the YPG will happen soon. Since 2016, Ankara has carried out two similar military operations in northern Syria with the help of Free Syrian Army members.

Although a military operation seems to have been shelved for now following President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, Turkey has made clear that it will never tolerate the presence of the YPG on its borders even if it comes to an agreement with the Assad regime to maintain control of the east of Euphrates River.

On Feb. 9, Erdoğan also said Turkey's military capabilities will "help its presence on the table" in its moves to end the war in Syria, as well as in its anti-terror fight.

"Over the last three years, we have scored many large successes against terror groups, especially Daesh and the PKK, who target our citizens’ lives and try to divide our country," he added.