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Turkey will not tolerate the undermining of peace, stability and brotherhood - president

Türkiye Materials 9 October 2014 22:51 (UTC +04:00)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to hold to account the perpetrators of acts of violence that have gripped Turkey over the last four days
Turkey will not tolerate the undermining of peace, stability and brotherhood - president

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to hold to account the perpetrators of acts of violence that have gripped Turkey over the last four days, Anadolu Agency reported.

His comments came on Thursday in the wake of violent nationwide protests which erupted on Monday over ISIL's advance on the Syrian city of Kobane and resulted in the deaths of 24 Turkish citizens.

Erdogan said in a statement published on the presidential website: 'Turkey will pursue - in the most effective, democratic and lawful manner - these acts of violence, vandalism and looting.

"Turkey will never tolerate any traps against our peace, stability or sense of brotherhood."

He said the protests were "clearly targeted" against the solution process with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, aimed at ending terrorism, and called on political parties to act with caution and common sense.

"Discourses which encourage vandalism, violence and chaos are primarily responsible for the bloodshed and loss of lives," he added.

The pro-Kurdish HDP issued a statement on Tuesday urging citizens to "go out into the streets" saying: "From now on, Kobane is everywhere."

Erdogan said the protests were intended to manipulate perceptions of Turkey's policies, stressing that the Turkish government stood against all terrorist organizations.

He added Turkey was one of the most responsible states when it came to sheltering refugees.

The provincial governorates of Batman, Siirt and Mardin have removed curfews in their five districts in a bid to stem violence, while Diyarbakir imposed an evening curfew on Thursday.

Nearly 200,000 Syrians of Kurdish origin fled from the city of Kobane to neighboring Turkey over the last two weeks.

Turkish officials have said the country was against supporting Kurdish PYD fighters in Kobani with military and financial aid, even if they are fighting against ISIL.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey as well as by the U.S. and the European Union.

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