Turkey has announced that it will facilitate Iraqi Kurdish fighters cross the border into Syria, to battle against Islamic State (IS) militants in Kobane.
Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said in a press conference that his government was “helping the Peshmerga cross over to Kobane,” adding that “consultations are going on.”
"Turkey has no wish to see Kobane fall," said Cavusoglu.
See an excerpt of the press conference below.
The announcement comes after Turkey bombed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets last week, a group linked closely to the Kurdish fighters defending Kobane from IS.
US Secretary of State John Kerry had earlier said it would be "morally difficult" not to support the "valiant Kurds". Earlier on Monday, the United States air-dropped arms to Kurdish forces in the town.
However, Kerry went on to add,
Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said in a press conference that his government was “helping the Peshmerga cross over to Kobane,” adding that “consultations are going on.”
"Turkey has no wish to see Kobane fall," said Cavusoglu.
See an excerpt of the press conference below.
The announcement comes after Turkey bombed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets last week, a group linked closely to the Kurdish fighters defending Kobane from IS.
US Secretary of State John Kerry had earlier said it would be "morally difficult" not to support the "valiant Kurds". Earlier on Monday, the United States air-dropped arms to Kurdish forces in the town.
However, Kerry went on to add,
“Let me say very respectfully to our allies the Turks that we understand fully the fundamentals of their opposition and ours to any kind of terrorist group and particularly obviously the challenges they face with respect the PKK.”
“But we have undertaken a coalition effort to degrade and destroy ISIL, and ISIL is presenting itself in major numbers in this place called Kobane.”