Turkish President Criticizes Russia, Iran, U.S. For Presence In Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (file photo)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized Russia, Iran, and the United States for their presence in Syria -- saying that their unwillingness to depose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is contributing to the pain of the Syrian people.

Erdogan made the remarks on May 29 at a rally marking the 563rd anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of the Byzantine capital, Constantinople – the city that is present-day Istanbul.

Erdogan said ‘What business have Russia and Iran” in Syria?

Referring to recently published photographs showing U.S. troops with the insignia of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, Erdogan said U.S. soldiers should not be "dressed up with the so-called patches of a terror organization."

The Pentagon is supporting the Syrian Kurdish fighters.

But Turkey considers the group to be a terrorist organization because of its links to Turkey’s outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters