FILE PHOTO: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks at Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Turkey, October 7, 2019. Mustafa Kamaci/Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS

ANKARA (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday Ankara will send the 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey to Europe if European countries label the country’s military incursion in Syria as an occupation.

“We will open the gates and send 3.6 million refugees your way,” Erdogan said in speech to lawmakers from his AK Party.