Abdurrahman Mustafa, leader of the Turkmen Parliament in Syria, said Wednesday that Russia had engaged in the Syrian conflict under the pretext of an anti-terror campaign, but the Russian military was attacking the wrong areas.
He accused Russia of an intention of attacking Turkmens and other moderate rebels, rather than the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Mustafa said that two of their garrisons, the 2nd Costal Division and Sultan Murad Division, were fighting against ISIL.
He also denied claims of Turkmens' cooperation with ISIL. “How is it possible to cooperate with those we fight against in several areas?" Mustafa said.
Turkmen fighters are fighting against ISIL militants in Raqqa and Aleppo. “We have seized two villages from ISIL militants in Azez and killed several of them."
“Russian and Syrian regime forces are killing Turkmens in the Bayır-Bucak and Mount Turkmen area excusing fight against ISIL," Mustafa said and added, “Of course there is no ISIL in Mount Turkmen region. It's completely bogus."
Mustafa said that Turkmens were expected from Russia to join the fight against ISIL. “As though their aim to fight against ISIL, they would attack ISIL in northern Aleppo, where we are fighting against them [ISIL]."
After the beginning of Russian airstrikes on Turkmen areas on September 30, thousands of Syrian Turkmens had to flee toward the Turkish border where they established camps with the help of Turkish aid agencies. But after Turkey shot down a Russian SU-24 fighter jet, Moscow intensified its bombardment on Turkmen-populated areas in northern Syria as well as Yamadı camps where at least 5,000 civilians had taken shelter.
Meanwhile, Turkmen fighters in Mount Turkmen areas resume a comprehensive attack to retake Kızıldağı, a strategic point of the mountain, which was re-seized by Assad forces on early Wednesday.
