Motion is actually against Syria, not ISIL: Turkish main opposition

ANKARA

CHP head Kılıçdaroğlu said there was a perception in the West that Turkey was backing ISIL. AA Photo

The motion brought to Parliament by the government is not aimed at broadening the struggle against terror, but is directed against Syria itself, according to main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

“We would support a motion on the struggle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK], in short, against terrorist organizations. This was also what the Western coalition was looking for: A struggle against the terrorist organization of ISIL,” Kılıçdaroğlu said during an Ankara meeting Oct. 2 with journalists from the International Press Institute (IPI) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

“But this is not the motion that came to Parliament. On the contrary, it is about struggling against Syria,” he added,

The CHP leader said there was a perception in the West that Turkey was "backing ISIL." 

“This perception is correct. ISIL has offices in Turkey. They have units that gather members in Turkey.
All of these are known things,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, adding that he was also against sending Turkish soldiers to another country.

“Turkey should take an open stance if it wants to fight against ISIL,” he said.

The main opposition leader was speaking before the motion was voted on at Parliament.