Anakara, Jan 10 (ANI): Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has warned that Syria is heading for civil war and stressed that Turkey should play a pivotal role in preventing the conflict.
"The structure which has now emerged, is heading to a religious, sectarian and a racist civil war. This has to be prevented," The Wall Street Journal quoted Erdogan, as saying.
"Turkey has to make its priority to take a role here. Because a civil war, which can emerge here, would also put us in distress. It also poses a threat for us," he said.
Speaking alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Ankara, Erdogan also said he believes the Syrian regime has killed close to 7,000 citizens.
Erdogan, an erstwhile ally of Damascus, has called on President Assad to step down and slapped sanctions on his regime.
Ankara has previously floated the idea of setting up a "buffer zone" inside Syrian territory if fighting prompted refugees to flee towards Turkish territory, compromising national security.
The Turkish government has stressed it would not take such a step without United Nations backing. (ANI)
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