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West trying to destabilize Turkey by supporting terrorists — presidential administration

He also lashed out at the West’s strategic arguments about fighting terrorists with terrorists

ANKARA, November 21./TASS/. Through their support for terrorists, Ankara’s Western allies are trying to either directly or indirectly destabilize Turkey, Fahrettin Altun, the Presidency’s Director of Communications, said on Monday.

"Our Western allies must think long and hard about their support (for Kurdish organizations deemed by Ankara as terrorist - TASS). They are directly and indirectly trying to destabilize our country. Their support results in loss of innocent Turkish lives," Fahrettin Altun wrote on Twitter.

He also lashed out at the West’s strategic arguments about fighting terrorists with terrorists. "Their strategic arguments are a farce. And this is no way of fighting terrorism," he blogged. "You cannot fight terrorists with terrorists. You can only do it through an alliance of countries committed to fighting terror," the official pointed out.

However, "With or without our allies, we will pursue terrorists wherever they might run or hide," he stressed. "We will not give up this fight. Western material support such as training and providing arms will not dissuade us from our struggle. Terrorists will not win. This is our promise," Altun pledged.

"Those who have assured us all these years that PKK/PYD/YPG in northern Syria does not constitute a threat to Turkiye must think again. This group has been fighting our country for more than 40 years and they continue to be a direct threat to our national security," the official blogged.

"The Western policy on Syria has collapsed. The country continues to produce regional terrorism and national security threats to the region. The need for change is urgent but our fight against terror will continue regardless. We will not compromise," he pointed out.

The Turkish town of Oncup·nar on the border with Syria was shelled on Sunday, with three Turkish soldiers being wounded. The Turkish media blamed the PKK and the YPG for the shelling, which may have been a response to Turkey's fresh air operation in Syria and Iraq, dubbed Claw-Sword, carried out on Sunday. More than 50 aircraft and 20 drones were involved that day. On Monday, at least five rockets landed in the Turkish city of Karkamis, hitting a lyceum and some residential buildings. Three people were killed, including a child.