Russian Ambassador seeks apology from Turkish embassy

Manama: The Russian Ambassador  has demanded an apology from the Turkish embassy, refuting its “baseless and biased accusations” about Russian airstrikes targeting schools and hospitals in Syria. 

In a letter received by DT News, Russian Ambassador Vagif Garaev said the “(Turkish) embassy’s statement appears to be nothing more but a dangerous facts manipulation game.”

He also rejected Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu’s statement about the alleged Russian ballistic strikes from Caspian Sea waters on the hospital in Idlip province.

“If we take a look at the facts, no ship capable of performing launches of such ballistic missiles is currently in service within the Russian Caspian Flotilla,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Turkish embassy stated that “over 30 civilians lost their lives in the Russian air strikes and missile attacks on two schools and a hospital in Azaz and hospital run by Doctors Without Borders at Maar’at El Numan in Idlip.” 

However, Garaev said the UN High Commission spokesperson Rupert Colville “hasn’t said a single word about alleged Russian link to these tragic events during the briefing in Geneva.”

“If the respected Embassy has the evidence, I suggest presenting it to the international community. If not – gather the courage and apologise for slander either openly or privately.

“The only targets of my country’s airstrikes in Syria are terrorists and their accomplices,” he added.

Turkish attack on Kurds

The Russian Ambassador said “many civilians have been killed or wounded… and infrastructure have been damaged” in the artillery attacks launched by Turkey against Syrian towns recently liberated by the government troops and Kurdish militia forces.

He further claimed that Turkey continued to facilitate the illegal crossing of jihadists and armed mercenaries into Syria to reinforce the seriously battered Jabhat al-Nusra, ISIS and other terrorist groups. 

“Wounded terrorists and individual groups of fighters are allowed to enter Turkey for rehabilitation and subsequent regrouping,” said Garaev, “The Syrian Foreign Ministry has sent letters to the UN Secretary-General and UN Security Council President demanding that the continued Turkish provocations be halted and that countries backing terrorism, including Turkey, be compelled to comply with anti-terrorism resolutions and cease without delay all their financial assistance to terrorists.”

“Russian authorities have expressed their serious concern over aggressive Turkish actions regarding their neighbouring country. We see this as direct support for international terrorism in violation of corresponding UNSC resolutions and the commitments that Turkey assumed as a member of the International Syria Support Group in Vienna, New York and Munich. Russia supported the initiative to put this issue on the agenda of the UNSC,” he added.

Stop publishing unreliable statements

“According to Ramirez Carreno, Venezuela’s UN Ambassador, all 15 members of the Security Council expressed concern about Turkey’s action and agreed to ask for Ankara to comply with international law. “In conclusion, I would like to advise the Turkish Embassy to concentrate on promoting the Bahraini-Turkish relations instead publishing such unreliable statements,” Vagif Garaev concluded.