Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged a safe return of their 49 citizens abducted in Iraq.
“Everything possible is being done for the safe return of our citizens abducted by the ISIL - Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - in Iraq”, said Erdogan while speaking at the parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Tuesday.
“The consulate staff in Mosul didn't have a choice but to surrender because all security staff had abandoned their positions”, said Erdogan. “Iraqi central government failed to protect our consulate staff in Mosul.”
Criticizing the role of the foreign occupations in the creation of current vicious circle of violence in the Middle East Erdogan said, “The western powers, unaware of the importance of the Middle Eastern region, sowed seeds of discord, took its oil and abandoned it.”
“Turkey has never taken sides in the regional sectarian clashes in the Middle East,” he said. “Turkey has always been on the side of justice and righteousness without discrimination among Muslim factions in the Middle East.”
Militants linked with ISIL, or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, abducted 49 people from the Turkish consulate in Mosul on Wednesday, one day after seizing 31 Turkish lorry drivers.
“We could also remain silent on injustice and murders in Iraq, Syria and Egypt like certain countries but we preferred to speak out for the oppressed people of these countries”, added Erdogan.
www.aa.com.tr/en
