Turkey rejects Syrian claims of helping armed groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda

Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu Tuesday rejected Syrian claims that Ankara was supporting armed groups affiliated to Al-Qaeda, and allowing them to use Turkish territories to launch attacks on the Syrian regime.

“Turkey has never provided any kind of support for these groups, and we do not allow our borders with Syria to be used for hostile purposes,” Davutoglu told a news conference.

“No one can accuse us of supporting terrorism. Turkey is one of the countries fighting against cross-border terrorism,” he said, and added that Turkey would not close its border against Syrians fleeing from the ruling regime’s crimes.

Davutoglu, who urged officials visiting Turkey to visit the refugee camps to see suffering of Syrians, accused the Syrian regime for lack of seriousness to solve the conflict, which killed more than 100,000 people.

He said Turkey has so far spent around two billion dollars on the Syrian refugees.