Turkey calls to stop ‘Islamophobic fascist terrorism’

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

Turkey on March 15 condemned and urged the world to stop the "Islamophobic fascist terrorism" after the armed attack at two mosques in New Zealand.    

 "I strongly condemn the terror attack against the Al Noor Mosque in #NewZealand and Muslim worshippers. May Allah have mercy on the victims and grant a speedy recovery to the wounded," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wrote on Twitter in English.

"Attack on two mosques in New Zealand shows the point where Islamophobia, Muslim hostility reached," İbrahim Kalın, Turkey's presidential spokesman, said on Twitter.  

 "This cowardly act shows how anti-Muslim rhetoric and hatred leads to murderous acts. The world must break its silence over Islamophobic hatred. We have seen many times that Islamophobic rhetoric against Islam and Muslims have turned into a perverse and murderous ideology," Kalın said.   

Meanwhile, Fahrettin Altun, Turkey's presidential communications director, also condemned the armed attack on Twitter.         

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms today's terror attack in #Christchurch," Altun said. He also said that his thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones. "This is a reminder that a house divided cannot stand: it is time to unite against all forms of terrorism," Altun urged. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoğlu said the attack was a deliberate demonizing of Muslim political struggles.

"Not only the perpetrators but also politicians, media that fuel the already escalated Islamophobia and hate in the West, are equally responsible for this heinous attack," he wrote on Twitter.