Egypt risks turning into Syria, Turkish President Gül warns

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

President Abdullah Gül said today the chaos in Egypt threatens to result in a civil war similar the conflict in Syria in the wake of a crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi. AA photo

President Abdullah Gül said Aug.14 the chaos in Egypt threatens to result in a civil war similar the conflict in Syria in the wake of a crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

Gül said armed intervention against civilian people could bring chaos to Egypt, recalling Syria as an example. “I would like to recall how the ongoing incidents started in our neighbor [Syria]. Armed intervention on civilians triggered the incidents there,” Gül said at a press conference at Atatürk Airport in Istanbul before leaving for Azerbaijan.

Egypt is being pulled into chaos and is not likely to return to democracy soon, Gül added.

“What’s happening today [in Egypt] is unacceptable. Armed intervention against civilian people is unacceptable. This opens way to very dangerous roads,” said Gül.

“I fear that Egypt maybe dragged into irreversible chaos. This is a ‘dead-end ahead’ for Egypt. I’m afraid that it is unlikely for Egypt to meet with democracy again for a long time if this situation continues...This will be a great loss for Egypt and the Muslim world,” he said.

Gül said Morsi must be released and that the country must have urgent elections open to everyone.

Turkey branded the deadly crackdown in Egypt on protesters loyal to ousted president Mohamed Morsi Wednesday as "unacceptable" and called on the international community to act immediately to halt the "massacre".