Turkish PM: We will not tolerate terror from Syria, Iraq

ISTANBUL

"We will not tolerate that terror from Syria and Iraq, nor that weapons stockpiled there, reach Turkey," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday.

The U.S. media reported that Washington airdropped 50 tons of small arms ammunition and grenades in northern Syria on Sunday after effectively ending the failing train-and-equip program, which was supposed to train moderate opposition forces to take on Bashar al-Assad's troops.

"Turkey will not accept any cooperation with terror groups fighting against Turkey. We have shared this with the U.S. and Russia," he said at a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov in Istanbul.

Turkey summoned Tuesday U.S. and Russian ambassadors separately, diplomatic sources said Wednesday. Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu met U.S. ambassador John Bass and Turkish diplomats met Russian ambassador Andrey Karlov.

"No one can guarantee that arms sent to [the Kurdish Democratic Union Party] PYD today will not later be used by the PKK," added Davutoglu. "Turkey will not tolerate arms aid to groups linked to the PKK."

"The organic bond between the PKK and the PYD is well-known," he said. "We know that those escaping from our operations against the PKK are making their way to the PYD in Syria."

"We have a clear attitude towards such terror groups fighting against Turkey. No terror group is tolerated," he added.

The Turkish army began air-and-ground operations against the PKK terror organization in July both inside Turkey and in northern Iraq, as the PKK renewed its armed campaign against the Turkish state following a two-and-a-half year lull in the fighting.

Davutoglu also addressed the possibility that among the Syrian refugees in Turkey -- whose number has surpassed 2 million -- there could be dangerous individuals.

"The only way to prevent this is a very strong cooperation on intelligence," he said. "We care about our cooperation with all the neighboring countries. However, this may also be inadequate to completely prevent it. When the crisis in Syria ends and refugees go back to their hometowns, the P5 countries of the UN [Security Council] need to shoulder responsibility."

Concerning the recent terror act in the Turkish capital, the Ankara twin bombings that have killed at least 97 people, the Turkish PM reiterated that those behind the attack would definitely be found and brought to justice.

"A detailed investigation is underway and is taking every possibility into consideration, especially with regards to one attacker," he said.

He confirmed that Ankara police chief and the heads of the security and intelligence departments had been relieved of their duties "for the soundness of the investigation".

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, meanwhile, offered his condolences to the families of Ankara victims. "I share your pain over the terror acts in your country," he said at the joint press conference.