Erdogan condemns Assad for killing dozens ‘every day’

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of personal responsibility for killing civilians and said on Tuesday he would take unspecified steps after Syrian troops shot at refugees inside Turkey.

“He is continuing to kill 60, 70, 80, 100 every day,” Erdogan said of Assad, whom he once called a friend but whose troops were now “mercilessly” shooting fleeing women and children in the back, the Turkish premier said.

Speaking in China before heading back to the region for talks with Saudi Arabia, another force pressing for Assad’s removal, Erdogan condemned the shooting on Monday which wounded three Syrians and two Turks in a frontier refugee camp.

“There was a very clear violation of the borders. We are going to conduct a final assessment. Our diplomacy is continuing with the regional countries,” he said. “After that, of course, we will take the steps that need to be taken.”

U.N. Security Council heavyweights Russia and China, as well as Assad’s long-time backer Iran, argue against military intervention in support of the Syrian rebels by regional and Western powers.

But Turkey, which has given refuge to some 25,000 Syrians including officers commanding rebel forces, has indicated it might consider increasing its support for Assad’s opponents, including declaring a “buffer zone” to protect them.

Erdogan said Assad had already broken a promise to international envoy Kofi Annan to withdraw troops from urban areas by Tuesday to allow for a truce to start on Thursday:
“They are even shooting these fleeing people from behind. They are mercilessly shooting them, regardless of whether they are children or women,” Erdogan said. “Indeed, he gave his word to Mr. Annan, but despite giving his word he is continuing to kill 60, 70, 80, 100 every day. This is the situation.”

Officials said Erdogan would meet King Abdullah in Riyadh on Friday to discuss Syria.