Turkish business leaders slam Assad's airstrike

By Gokhan Ergocun and Aysu Bicer

ISTANBUL/ANKARA (AA) - Turkish business leaders condemned Friday the latest Syrian regime's deadly airstrike in Idlib, northwestern Syria, that martyred at least 33 Turkish soldiers.

Top business organizations released statements backing the Turkish army and blasting the Assad regime for the attack that also left dozens of Turkish soldiers wounded.

"Our nation, as always, stood by the army and the government as one with its politician, business world, academician, lawyer," said Turkish Exporters' Assembly head Ismail Gulle.

"We are aware that national sovereignty is indispensable in every level from security to trade," he said and declared whatever Turkey and the nation expect from business people, they will accept and perform their duty.

"We wish mercy from Allah to our martyrs and urgent healing to our wounded," he added.

Simone Kaslowski, the head of the Turkish Industry and Business Association said the world should no longer be insensitive to what is going on in Idlib.

This attitude did not overlap in any way with the human rights and transatlantic values that the western world always advocated, he said, pointing to Syrian regime's attacks that has forced at least 1 million civilians to emigrate and caused a great humanitarian crisis.

"Turkey is strong in unity and solidarity," Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges said, adding that the business circle stands by the state and nation in every matter that concerns our national security and interests.

"It is our incontestable right to ensure our border security and to protect our homeland," said Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey head Nail Olpak.

He added that as part of the commercial diplomacy activities all over the world, Turkish business bodies will continue to raise the country's voices.