Noting that the attack has resulted in a new phase in Turkish-Syrian relations, Erdo?an said it is now clear “[Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad’s regime has become a clear and present danger to Turkey’s security.” “The rules of engagement of the Turkish Armed Forces have changed,” Erdo?an told a meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Parliament. “Any military element that approaches the Turkish border from Syria, posing a security risk or danger, will be regarded as a threat and treated as a military target.”
“However valuable Turkey’s friendship is, its wrath is just as strong. Don’t take our common sense and cautious approach as a sign of passivity,” he said.
Hours after Erdo?an’s speech, military vehicles were seen carrying reinforcements to the Syrian border in a sign of escalating tensions along the border. The Cihan news agency reported that some 15 military vehicles, including tanks and long-range artillery vehicles, had been dispatched to the border from Diyarbak?r through Mardin.
Tags: Border, retaliation, Syrian, Turkey
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