Erdogan: Syrian People Will Succeed in Their Glorious Resistance

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he believes the Syrian opposition will be successful in their “glorious resistance” to the ongoing government crackdown, Turkey’s English-language daily Today’s Zaman reported Tuesday.

Speaking during his Justice and Development Party's parliamentary bloc meeting on Tuesday, Erdogan warned that Turkey cannot remain silent in the face of the events in Syria.

“We had a friendship that began nine years ago but Syria failed to appreciate this. They did not heed our warnings. … We will continue to display the necessary stance. I believe that the Syrian people will be successful in their glorious resistance,” Erdogan said.

On October 10 Syria warned Turkey against "inflaming" unrest in the revolt-hit country, where more than 3,000 people are estimated to have died in six months of protests against President Bashar al-Assad.

Buthaina Shaaban, political and media advisor to the Syrian president, who has repeatedly promised reforms, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that "armed gangs" were responsible for the violence.

"We had the best relations as you know and therefore we expected Turkey to support the march for pluralism and democracy in Syria rather than give statements that are helping to inflame the situation in Syria and to support the armed gangs there," she said.

Turkey, formerly an Assad ally, has kept constant pressure on Damascus by hosting gatherings of Syrian dissidents and repeatedly calling on the regime to introduce reforms.

Turkey has expressed frustration with Assad for failing to heed its calls.

In September, Turkey stopped a shipload of weapons destined for Syria and Turkish Erdogan said in October that his government would announce sanctions against its neighbor.

Shaaban also said "some countries" were arming and financing armed groups to incite sectarian violence to split the country.

"The problem we are facing is that there are other parties who are financing and arming groups in Syria, that are introducing sectarian violence ... in an attempt to try and tear the country apart," she said.