Turkey claims 'Netanyahu's trap' in Syria - details
The Turkish presidential administration stated that it will not fall into the 'trap' it believes Israel is trying to set. Ankara reacted this way to an Israeli strike on an airbase in northern Syria following reports of a recent visit there by a Turkish military delegation. Turkey denies the visit, but Syria's foreign minister confirmed it.
The administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to set a 'trap' for Ankara in Syria. The trigger was an Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria, carried out after reports of a recent visit there by a Turkish military delegation. The Turkish statement said: 'We have enough experience not to fall into the trap of politicians like Netanyahu, who seek to undermine peace and stability in our region.' Ankara denies that its military personnel visited the facility. However, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani confirmed earlier that Turkish soldiers had recently visited the airbase, while denying reports of plans to station a Turkish military contingent there. Earlier, the Turkish Defense Ministry called on Israel to cease such actions to maintain regional stability and to abide by international law. President Erdogan also reacted harshly to a statement from Netanyahu's office confirming the attack.