Europe in peace thanks to Turkey: Erdogan

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Europe is indebted to Turkey for hosting 4 million refugees, Turkey's president said on Friday.

"If European countries are living in peace today, it is thanks to Turkey for hosting 4 million refugees," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in the Istanbul Congress Center, where he attended a week-long event on innovation.

Turkey has been the main route for refugees trying to cross to Europe, especially since 2011, the beginning of the Syrian civil war.

Underlining that Turkey has been unable to find sufficient support in its efforts to rebuild Syrian security, Erdogan said Turkey would not allow any threat against itself remain in Syria.

He stressed that his country would continue its fight until all of Syria is delivered to its real owners, the Syrian people.

"Any economic and political moves against the independence of our country are doomed to fail," Erdogan said.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN officials.