Turkey PM: Syria no-fly zone needed

ISTANBUL

DHA photo

Turkey will again push for a no-fly zone over northern Syria to protect civilians fleeing both Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants and Syrian government forces, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has told the BBC.

“If there was a no-fly zone and a safe haven inside Syria, there would not be such a flow of refugees,” Davutoğlu said in the BBC interview broadcast on Aug. 11, after complaining about a lack of international support for Turkey, where more than 1.8 million Syrian refugees have fled the war. 

When he was asked whether such a zone could be established now, Davutoğlu said: “We will try.”

After stressing the need to strengthen moderate Syrian opposition forces with the train-and-equip program of Turkey and the U.S., Davutoğlu did not rule out sending Turkish troops into Syria if needed. 

“If there is a threat against Turkish interests, against our country; whoever attacks Turkey, of course we will use all power, sometimes the Air Force, sometimes other forces, to punish those who are attacking Turkey,” he said.

Click here for the BBC interview