Ilgın Karlıdağ
May 11, 2016•Update: May 12, 2016
ISTANBUL
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday no other country in the world was battling the terror group Daesh like Turkey.
Speaking at a conference attended by chiefs of defense from Balkan countries in Istanbul, Erdogan said: "While countries [taking part in the anti-Daesh coalition] didn’t take any steps, didn’t conduct the necessary intelligence-sharing [to fight Daesh], Turkey was expected to do everything."
He also condemned the alleged claims that Turkey had supported the group as "despicable".
"In fact, during this process, Turkey battled many unfair, ruthless and unfounded accusations," Erdogan said. "The portrayal of Turkey as a country that helps Daesh is –excuse me if this will sound harsh – despicable."
Erdogan’s comments came four days after the Turkish Armed Forces said 48 members of the Daesh were killed in airstrikes in Syria by the international coalition Saturday morning.
Turkey has been under indiscriminate rocket attacks from neighboring Syria since mid-January. In the Kilis province alone, the local governor has confirmed that a total of 20 people have been killed and almost 70 others wounded by rockets, which have fallen inside Turkish territory.
"No other country in the world is fighting Daesh in the same way as Turkey," he said. "No country has [experienced as many losses as] Turkey in the fight against Daesh."
Turkey "never thought about" EU money
Having accepted 3 million refugees from Syria and Iraq and spent $10 billion meeting their needs since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, Turkey never asked for money from the international community, according to Erdogan.
"Will Europe give us money? Will the world help us? Or will the UN Refugee Council give us money? We never thought about this," he said.
"The consequences and repercussions of the Syrian crisis are no longer a local or a regional problem, but has turned into a global threat," he added. "At this point, Turkey and the Balkan countries are under a heavy load and facing serious costs."
Last week, the European Commission proposed visa-free travel for Turks as part of a deal which would see Turkey stem the refugee flow to Europe in exchange for speeding up the candidate country’s EU membership.
In addition, the deal included a 6-billion-euro ($6.8 billion) aid package to help Turkey care for millions of refugees hosted in the country.
However, among five remaining benchmarks for Turkey to address in order to receive visa freedom, the EU has required a change in Ankara's legislation on terrorism – a demand that Erdogan has criticized and rejected.
"We will go our way; you go yours," he said, addressing an inauguration ceremony in Istanbul last Friday. "The EU is telling us to change our law on combatting terrorism. [They] are allowing terrorists to raise tents and then [they] come with requirements. "
Erdogan was referring to a controversial tent raised in March by PKK supporters near the European Council building in Brussels. The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by the EU, the U.S. and Turkey.
