Russian airstrikes in Syria hit moderate opposition, not ISIL: Turkish PM

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said that Russia has hit the moderate opponents of the Assad regime in Syria, not Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL,targets.

“A total of 57 strikes have been conducted by Russian jets in Syria. 55 of these strikes hit moderate opponent groups whereas only two were directed to ISIL," he told reporters in Istanbul.

The prime minister urged Russia to respect Turkey's airspace. “The crisis in Syria is not a Turkey-Russia crisis and it should not be allowed to turn into such a one. Moscow should consider our security concerns," he called. “We have no conflict of interest with Russia but we never compromise our border's security," he said firmly.

Davutoğlu also explained Ankara's concern over the escalating tension on the other side of Turkey's border with Syria. “We do not want it to turn into a Russia-NATO crisis, but as NATO said, Turkey's airspace is also NATO airspace."

Davutoğlu further noted that the war in Syria has turned into a “regional conflict." “The Syrian crisis first appeared to be a territorial one but later degenerated into a regional crisis, which also involved the terrorist groups," he added.