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President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has denounced the Turkish Medical Association’s (TTB) statemented entitled “War is a Matter of Public Health” released concerning military operation launched by the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF).

Speaking at the Meeting of Extended Provincial Chairs at the AKP Headquarters, President Erdoğan spoke briefly as follows.

“They want to run a campaign in protest of war”

“Some sections hear this well. Today is the seventh day of the operation. 343 terrorists have been neutralized.

“A section so-called Turkish Medical Association, which is disturbed by this, wants to run a campaign in protest of war.

“We haven’t heard these terrorist lovers saying yes to peace until now. Have we heard any statement about terror operators inside us from them? No, we haven’t.

“They are involved in this. We haven’t heard that the ones, who go to Qandil and try to provide fund by means of the books they wrote, standing against the terrorists. Our step is a determinate one.

"These gentlemen have never been local and national. They have never been troubled by concerns of this country".

Statement by TTB We the doctors warn: War is a human-made matter of public health causing harm in nature and human and threatening public life. Every conflict, every war brings a huge humanitarian tragedy with it by causing irreparable physical, psychological, social and environmental damages. As member of a profession that vows to make people live, we keep in mind that advocating life and looking out for the peace climate is our primary duty. The only way to deal with war is to perpetuate a fair, democratic, equalitarian, independent and peaceful life. No to war, peace right now!

“We are not occupying Afrin”

Stating that the Parliament of Europe wants to show the operation into Afrin as “occupation”, Erdoğan went on:

“We are not occupying Afrin. Turkey’s operation in Afrin targets only terror organizations and terrorists.

“I want to address those in the Parliament of Europe who want to show the operation as occupation. Go and find the occupation in Libya, Rwanda, Mali. Turkish nation hasn’t acted sporadic.” (EKN/TK)