August 3, 2012
Syria accused Turkey on Thursday
of playing a “fundamental role” in supporting terrorism by opening its airport
and border to al Qaeda and other jihadists to carry out attacks inside Syria.
Once close allies, the two
countries’ relationship quickly deteriorated as President Bashar al-Assad
intensified a crackdown in a 17-month-old uprising against his rule.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip
Erdogan has called on Assad to leave and Ankara has set up a sprawling refugee
camp along the border which houses thousands of Syrian refugees.
Several military officers have
defected to Turkey and the nominal commander of the Free Syrian Army, a loosely
coordinated group of insurgents fighting Assad’s forces, is also based there.
“The Turkish government plays a
fundamental role in supporting terrorism by opening its airport and borders to
host al Qaeda elements, jihadists and salafists,” Syria’s foreign ministry said
in a statement circulated on state television.
“The Turkish government has set up
on its soil military offices where Israeli, American, Qatari and Saudi
intelligence agencies direct the terrorists in their war on the Syrian people,”
the statement said.
Damascus also accused France and
the United States of sending rebels communications equipment. U.S. sources have
said President Barack Obama signed a secret order authorizing U.S. support for
rebels seeking to depose Assad.
Gulf sources told Reuters that
Turkey had set up a secret base with allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar to direct
vital military and communications aid to Syria’s rebels from the city of Adana
near the border.
The statement said Turkey had used
the camps as “military bases” for terrorists who then headed to Syria to commit
crimes.
A Turkish foreign ministry
spokesman said: “It is not the first unsupported claim coming from Syria. These
speculative claims are not reflecting the truth.”
ED: In other words, do
you believe us or your lying eyes?
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