Turkish PM accuses UN Security Council for ‘sin of dead migrants’

ANKARA

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The responsibility for the deaths of innocent Syrians, including 36 migrants who washed up on Turkey’s shores on Jan. 5, lies with the international community and particularly the U.N. Security Council, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said.

“Turkey has made all kinds of sacrifices over the Syrian crisis on its own and it will continue to do so. But the sin of the 36 dead bodies that washed up on our beaches yesterday belongs to the international community, with the United Nations Security Council in first place,” Davutoğlu said on Jan. 6.

“The sin for this belongs to the mentality that vetoes every resolution on Syria, with Russia in first place,” he added.

The international community “must not remain silent” to the bombing of Turkmens in Syria, Davutoğlu also stated. 

The bodies of 36 migrants who were attempting to cross to Greece washed up on the coast of the Aegean districts of Ayvalık and Dikili after two boats overturned in stormy weather on Jan. 5, amid fears that the death toll could rise.

A large group of refugees were attempting to cross from Dikili to the Greek island of Lesbos when rough weather caused their boat to capsize at around 5 a.m.

A number of children were reportedly killed in the disaster.