NATO allies must stand by partner Turkey in Syria, not terrorist groups: Erdoğan

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey on Thursday.

“Turkey has taken huge developmental leaps in 14 years. There is no province without a university. We are striving to establish more education facilities for all levels. Our literacy rate is improving, but we will continue to push for more development,” said Erdoğan.

“NATO allies must stand by their partner Turkey in Syria, not terrorist groups. If we are strategic partners, then the allies must stand by us and not support terrorist organizations,” said Erdoğan.

The U.S. has claimed that they are not supplying weapons to terrorist organizations; however, Turkey's President and Minister of Foreign Affairs have both made statements declaring that the PKK's armed forces are being supported by the U.S.

Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov has backed Turkey's claims.

“Turkey has urged western countries not to differentiate between terrorist organizations and simply not support any. The U.S. in particular uses various excuses to justify its support of terrorist groups,” Erdoğan commented.

“Terrorist organizations will eventually attack the nations that support them,” the president reiterated.

The U.S. has previously called Turkey's statements about their support of terrorist groups “ludicrous.”

“Turkey is experiencing threats along our border with Syria and NATO has refused to intervene. Allied forces have not supported our Al-Bab operation. Turkey has made the most progress in terms of defeating Daesh, and the Free Syrian Army has also been a part of this success,” Erdoğan continued.

“The Free Syrian Army is not a terrorist group, it is a resistance movement. Turkey is supporting them in order not leave them alone on their own soil,” he said.