Turkey’s anti-terror fight ensures Europe’s security: PM Yıldırım

MUNICH – Anadolu Agency

Turkey is ensuring Europe’s security by stopping the flow of foreign fighters, countering illegal migration, and fighting militants in Syria, Turkey’s premier said on Feb. 17.  

“So far 5,800 foreign fighters have been sent back from our borders, we did not let them in,” Binali Yıldırım told the Munich Security Conference, adding that most of these fighters were residents of European countries. 

“And we also banned 56,300 potential foreign fighters affiliated with ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] from travelling to Turkey,” he said, stressing that these measures
significantly cut security risks for Europe.  

“Around 10,000 ISIL members are currently under arrest in Turkey,” Yıldırım said, giving the most recent figures. 

The Turkish premier has also accused the U.S. for undermining the fight against ISIL in the region by providing military support to Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northwestern Syria. 

“The YPG is the Syrian branch of a terrorist organization which Turkey has been fighting for 40 years,” referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). “They are equal, they are the same terror group.” 

“NATO’s southern borders are Turkey’s borders. While we are protecting NATO’s borders here, we cannot find any explanation for the acts of another NATO ally, which is cooperating with a terror organization which attacked our people, threatened our borders,” he said.  

The U.S. has called the YPG a “reliable ally” in its fight against ISIL, despite strong protests by Turkey.