‘Perpetrators will pay heavy price’

Sefa Mutlu

ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said a military helicopter was downed in southern Hatay province during the ongoing Operation Olive Branch.

Erdogan’s remarks came at a ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s provincial meeting in Istanbul.

“[The perpetrators] will pay a heavy price [for downing theTurkish helicopter],” Erdogan said.

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch to remove PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists from Afrin, northwestern Syria.

According to Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkish borders and the region as well as to protect the Syrian people from the oppression and cruelty of terrorists.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Saturday that if the U.S. wants to keep ties with Turkey, it should withdraw its support for terrorists.

Talking to reporters in central Yozgat province, Bozdag said the U.S. must show understanding of Turkey’s sensitivity and concerns.

He reiterated Turkey’s expectations and called on the U.S. to end every kind of aid provided to PYD/PKK terrorists.

“Turkey wants to have good terms with the U.S., which is a NATO ally; the U.S. also wants to have good terms with us,” Bozdag said.

“Then it is clear. You [the U.S.] will not support terror, you will not give weapons to the terrorists, you will not train the terrorists.”

The deputy premier also recalled the remarks of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Kemal Kilicdaroglu on Afrin operation, when he said: “I do not find it right to enter Afrin’s city center”.

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said: “Saying ‘do not enter Afrin’s city center’ is same as saying ‘do not touch the terrorists who are in there’.