Migration causing troubles should be fought at source: Turkish minister

Kemal Karadag

ANKARA (AA) - Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Friday that Turkey has been dealing with illegal migration by all means but the root causes should be fought at its source.

Speaking at the 46th anniversary of the Hak-Is Confederation in Ankara, Soylu commented on ongoing regional developments, terrorism and migration.

He was critical of the West and said proxy wars has become a new warfare tactic while new terror groups are formed.

While Turkey is endeavoring to isolate itself from the ongoing chaos, the neighboring region has turned into a circle of fire with western countries throwing all of its problems to the East, he said.

Ankara’s fight against illegal migration continues at full pace as about 2.35 million people were prevented from entering Turkey through its east and southern borders for the past five years and 1.15 million illegal migrants were held, noted Soylu.

He said Turkey is deterring illegal migration but argued that the problems triggering an influx of migration had to be fought at its source so that new troubles would not emerge.

Soylu said western countries, namely the US and France, supplied the PKK terror group and its Syrian branch, the YPG, with truckloads of weapons and helped them establish headquarters.

“In the past 10 days, we have seized four AT-4 [anti-tank rocket launcher]. They can take down helicopters and destroy opposing elements,” he said.

Since 2016, Turkey’s fight against terrorism bore fruit as the count of terrorists within Turkish borders has dropped to below 180, according to Soylu, who said Turkey has inflicted a great blow to the PKK, Deash and FETO terror groups.

Referring to the summoning of 10 ambassadors for remarks regarding Osman Kavala, who is in jail, he said those countries often lectured others about the supremacy of law and are conflicted with themselves in this regard.

Backing his country’s stance, he said Ankara could the demand release of any criminal by this logic, including, Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned ringleader of the PKK terror group.

Regarding Turkey being added to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, which Ankara earlier denounced, he said Turkey has been taking measures since 2019 and the decision was political.