Türkiye rejects China's accusations at UN meeting concerning Syria

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - Türkiye's ambassador to the UN slammed accusations Wednesday by China regarding Turkish airstrikes on the PKK terror group's Syrian branch, the YPG/SDF

Feridun Sinirlioglu responded to China's Deputy UN Ambassador Geng Shuang, who accused Turkiye of ''repeatedly pounding northern Syria with airstrikes and artillery shelling and threatening to launch ground operations.'' Shuang also demanded that Ankara and Israel ''immediately cease cross border attacks.''

''No country is entitled to give us lessons about our fight against terrorism,'' Sinirlioglu told the UN Security Council. ''We reject the self-entitled statements that we listened to today, what we should do, what we should not do while defending our borders and protecting our people.''

He said Türkiye's determination to fight terrorism is ''unwavering'' and it will continue to take every necessary step to protect its people and to ensure its border security.

Sinirlioglu said more than 500 Syrians have been killed because of PKK/YPG attacks in northern Syria in the last two years.

''PKK/YPG/SDF oppresses the people in the northeast and pursues a separatist agenda,'' he said. ''Supporting this terrorist/separatist organization under the pretext of fighting DAESH is against, first and foremost, the UN resolutions which reaffirm strong commitment to the territorial integrity of Syria.''