Turkey seeks UN Security Council meeting over Turkmens in Syria: Sources

ISTANBUL - Reuters

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Turkey has called for a U.N. Security Council meeting to discuss attacks on Turkmens in neighbouring Syria, sources in the prime minister's office said, days after Ankara summoned the Russian ambassador in protest over "intensive" bombing of villages. 

Ankara has traditionally expressed solidarity with the Syrian Turkmens, who are Syrians of Turkish descent. It has also repeatedly voiced concern about Russian military support for its longtime foe, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. 

Turkey is in discussions with the United States and Russia over the bombing of the villages and sent a letter to Britain, the current holder of the council's presidency, asking for the subject to be taken up, the sources said. 

The sources said Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu had consulted on the intelligence dimension of the issue with the armed forces chief and the head of the national intelligence agency. 

Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioğlu had also discussed the matter on the telephone with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, they said. 

Turkey summoned Moscow's ambassador on Nov. 20 and called for an immediate end to the Russian military operation near its border in northern Syria, which it said included "heavy bombardment" of Turkmen civilian villages.