28-03-2024 06:59 PM Jerusalem Timing

Turkish PM Says Putin Accusations on ISIL-Turkey Oil Trade Are “Baseless”

Turkish PM Says Putin Accusations on ISIL-Turkey Oil Trade Are “Baseless”

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu described as “baseless” Putin accusations of oil trade between Ankara and Takfiri insurgents in Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu described as “baseless” Putin accusations of oil trade between Ankara and Takfiri insurgents in Syria.

Talking to reporters at Ankara airport on Tuesday, Davutoglu called on Russia to re-establish dialogue channels instead of making "baseless accusations".

"Russian authorities should know it was not Turkish jets that violated Russian air space," Davutoglu responded.

"When there is a war taking place on our doorstep and refugees are pouring into Turkey it would not be responsible behavior to ignore air space incursions," he said. Turkish PM Davutoglu

"It is not possible to conceal air space violations through baseless accusations targeting Turkey like (allegations of) oil purchases from Daesh," he added, using an Arabic acronym for the ISIL (the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant Takfiri group).

Putin on Monday accused Ankara of shooting down a Russian warplane to protect supplies of oil from ISIL.

"We have every reason to think that the decision to shoot down our plane was dictated by the desire to protect the oil supply lines to Turkish territory," the Russian president said.

"We have received additional information which unfortunately confirms that this oil, produced in areas controlled by [ISIL] and other terrorist organizations, is transported on an industrial scale to Turkey."

On November 24, Turkey shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24M jet inside Syria, claiming that the aircraft violated the Turkish airspace. Russia rejects Turkey’s claim. The aircraft was on a mission targeting terrorists in Syria.

The aircraft’s two pilots ejected as it was going down in flames. Peshkov was killed by militants in Syria, while the second was picked up by the Syrian army, and has already spoken to Russian media.