NATO: We stand with Turkey against ‘terrorism’

NATO vowed strong support for Turkey’s fight against “terrorism” at an emergency meeting Tuesday called to discuss Ankara’s strikes against Islamic State fighters and Kurdish rebels.

 

The rare talks came as an uncompromising President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara could not continue its peace process with the Kurds amid fresh attacks on Turkish targets.

 

Turkey’s decision to lump IS together with Kurdish forces who bitterly oppose the jihadist group has surprised some Western allies, but the message on Tuesday was united behind the alliance’s only Muslim member.

 

“All allies expressed their strong support for Turkey and we all stand together in solidarity with Turkey. We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said after the meeting of the alliance’s ambassadors in Brussels.

 

Stoltenberg said Turkey had not requested any military help — it has the second largest armed forces in NATO after the United States — and he welcomed its increased effort against the IS group.

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