Turkish president urges end to airstrikes in Syria

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for an end to Syrian regime and Russian airstrikes.

Erdogan's remarks came Thursday during a joint press conference with his Ecuadorian counterpart Rafael Correa in capital Quito.

"When Russia, and the regime are heavily bombarding these [Syrian] people, can there be any other solution for them other than flee [the country]? Where will these people go?," Erdogan asked, adding that the airstrikes must be stopped so that the suspended peace talks can produce a result.

U.N.-sponsored talks in Geneva aimed at ending the Syrian civil war were suspended Wednesday due to intensified fighting in the country.

"As you know, the Geneva talks were postponed yesterday [Wednesday] to Feb. 25. Airstrikes and offensives against the Syrian people were ongoing during these talks," Erdogan said, adding that following the recent airstrikes in Aleppo, thousands of civilians started fleeing towards Turkey.

"Our European friends want us to end the refugee flow. How can this flow be stopped as long as the strikes continue?" Erdogan said.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu earlier said that some 10,000 Syrian migrants were waiting outside the Turkish border early Thursday morning after fleeing airstrikes in Aleppo.

Turkey is currently hosting more than 2.7 million Syrian refugees, and is regarded as a gateway to Europe, with dozens of Syrians risking their lives every day to attempt to migrate to neighboring Greece.