Tag: NATO

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan EU News

Germany completes troop pull-out from Afghanistan

Germany maintained a contingent of around 1,100 troops before starting the drawdown in May….reports Asian Lite News

The last of the remaining German troops have left Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of deployment in the war-torn country, Defence Minister said Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.

The German Defence Minister said in a tweet that the last Bundeswehr soldiers “left Afghanistan safely” on Tuesday evening, reports TOLO News.

She thanked the more than 150,000 troops who have served there since 2001 and said that “they can be proud of this mission”.

Germany maintained a contingent of around 1,100 troops before starting the drawdown in May.

The country deployed its forces in the wake of the deadly 9/11 attacks in 2001, according to a DW News report.

The first troops arrived in Kabul in January 2002.

Over 150,000 German soldiers have been stationed in Afghanistan since, the report added.

Since US President Joe Biden announcement of the pullout of troops on May 1, the American military has completed more than half of the withdrawal.

Afghan security force members take part in a military operation in Chahar Dara district of Kunduz province, Afghanistan, Jan. 16, 2018. The Kunduz province, as well as neighboring Baghlan and Takhar provinces, have been the hotbeds of heavy clashes over the past couple of months as Taliban has been trying to attack the government forces in the once relatively peaceful region. (Xinhua/Ajmal Kakar/IANS)

Italy hands over Herat’s camp

As Italy has completed its troop exit from Afghanistan, the control of the Herat’s airport and the military camp was handed over to Afghan forces.

Herat was under the control of the Italian military for the last 20 years.

On July 1, Italian forces pulled out their military equipment as well as destroyed some of them, TOLO News reported citing Afghan military officials. They also destroyed a large number of armoured vehicles and heavy weapons while evacuating the camps.

Major General Sayed Emal Pacha, the commander of an Afghan air force division, said “In terms of military equipment, nothing was left for us from the Italians”.

Meanwhile, Herat Governor Abdul Saboor Qane said, “We pledge that our security and defence forces across Afghanistan are ready to defend our country and the people in the western zone and in Herat.”

Commenting on the situation, Abdul Shaheer Salehi, the director of Herat airport, informed that all aviation services are being carried out by the professional cadres of Khawja Abdullah Ansari airport. “There have been no problems at all at the airport following the withdrawal of foreign forces and flights are being carried out normally and regularly,” he said.

Meanwhile, Germany also completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan.

Germany’s decision came nearly after 20 years of mission in the country. A contingent of around 570 soldiers was called back from Afghanistan.

Both Germany and Italy de-escalated their militaries from the region to mark their non-engagement in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s ‘Resolute Support’ mission.

Their decision to pull out the troops came in April following the US plans to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by September 11. (IANS/ANI)

ALSO READ: EC takes legal action against Germany

Categories
-Top News USA

US cancelling NATO flag-lowering ceremony creates confusion

Senior allied officers planned to lower their nations’ flags at the headquarters building as a recognition for their countries’ contributions in Afghanistan, said officials…reports Asian Lite News

The US on Friday cancelled North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) flag-lowering ceremony at the last moment amid questions over what the ceremony was meant to signify, according to three US Defence officials.

Citing NBC News, The Frontier Post reported that the cancellation reflected a wider sense of confusion and uncertainty surrounding the U.S. troop withdrawal, with defence contractors appealing for more guidance from Washington, former Afghan interpreters pleading for protection from the Taliban and the US embassy hit by a major COVID-19 outbreak.

The flag-lowering ceremony at the Kabul headquarters for NATO’s “Resolute Support” mission, which trains and advises Afghan security forces, was called off only hours before it was due to begin, the Defence officials said.

The ceremony was not intended to convey the end of the mission or closure of the headquarters, the officials said, but was an opportunity to gather 13 NATO partners together before coalition troops depart.

Senior allied officers planned to lower their nations’ flags at the headquarters building as a recognition for their countries’ contributions in Afghanistan, the officials said.

“It was causing confusion among allies and partners,” one Defense official said, adding that it was perceived by some as a closure of the Resolute Support headquarters, reported The Frontier Post.

The ceremony likely would be held at another date, two Defense officials said, and would only include officers and officials already working at the headquarters due to concerns over COVID-19.

As of August last year, the Resolute Support mission included 36 NATO member states and partners and about 10,000 troops.

President Joe Biden announced in April that all US troops would leave Afghanistan by September 11, but the pull-out is moving faster than scheduled.

Pentagon officials say the US military withdrawal is on track to be wrapped up about two months earlier, by the middle of July or even by early July.

A number of factors could affect the exit timeline, including weather conditions and the tenuous security situation in Kabul, as Taliban forces continue to gain ground across the country, reported The Frontier Post.

US troops already have handed over several bases and airfields to Afghan security forces and C-17 cargo planes are continuously flying out equipment.

The United States promised to remove all its troops from Afghanistan in an agreement with the Taliban signed last year during former President Donald Trump’s administration.

As the US troop exit gathers pace, the Biden administration has come under criticism over the fate of Afghans who worked for the US government.

Lawmakers from both parties have accused the White House of failing to make adequate plans to protect former Afghan partners who face threats of retaliation from the Taliban.

Members of Congress and veterans’ groups have urged an emergency evacuation of thousands of Afghans who risked their lives working with the United States, but the administration has yet to announce any plans for such an operation.

Roughly 18,000 US-funded contractors who maintain the Afghan government’s fleet of military aircraft and ground vehicles also have been ordered to withdraw from the country, reported Frontier Post.

But the contractors say they had no advance warning about Biden’s decision and that it’s unclear how their companies will continue to support the Afghan security forces once American troops leave. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Ghani, Abdullah to meet Biden at White House

Categories
-Top News Asia News USA

Biden claims NATO consensus on Afghans

Biden’s remarks come ahead of the September 11 deadline when the military troops of United States and its allies are set to exit from Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News

US President Joe Biden has said there is a “strong consensus” among NATO leaders about America’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and that they will continue to support the Afghan people and security forces.

Biden’s remarks come ahead of the September 11 deadline when the military troops of United States and its allies are set to exit from Afghanistan, even as there is a surge in the undeclared spring offensive by the Taliban.

Addressing a press conference after the NATO leaders’ summit in Brussels on Monday, Biden said, “And there was a strong consensus among the leaders in that meeting on Afghanistan. Our troops are coming home, but we agreed that our diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian commitment to the Afghan people and our support for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces will endure.”

“And I welcomed our Allies and partners to recognize that counterterrorism — that counterterrorism efforts must continue to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for attacks on our countries, even as we take on terrorist networks in the Middle East and Africa,” he added.

ALSO READ: Biden looks to rebuild NATO shaken by Trump

Speaking at the same conference, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the transatlantic alliance will continue supporting Afghanistan by funding Afghan forces, training for Afghan forces, with a continued civilian presence, and maintaining “critical infrastructure” such as the Kabul airport.

“NATO and allies are now working on how to ensure the continued operation of an international airport in Kabul. There were meetings also on the sidelines of the summit today. Turkey of course plays a key role in those efforts,” he said.

In the Brussels Summit Communique issued after the summit, the leader said that withdrawing our troops does not mean ending their relationship with Afghanistan. “We will now open a new chapter. We affirm our commitment to continue to stand with Afghanistan, its people, and its institutions in promoting security and upholding the hard-won gains of the last 20 years.”

“We will also step up dialogue on Afghanistan with relevant international and regional partners. We continue to support the ongoing Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process, and call on all stakeholders to help Afghanistan foster a lasting inclusive political settlement,” the NATO chief said. (ANI)

ALSO READ: NATO declares China as a ‘systemic challenge’

Categories
-Top News USA World News

NATO agrees on new agenda to address future challenges

The gathering was part of Biden’s first foreign trip since he took office, as he aimed to rebuild the transatlantic relations after the Trump era….reports Asian Lite News

The in-person NATO Summit has concluded with leaders of the 30-member alliance agreeing on a new agenda to address future challenges.

The Summit was the first for US President Joe Biden after the tumultuous four years seen under his predecessor Donald Trump, who called the military alliance “obsolete”, reports Xinhua news agency.

The gathering was part of Biden’s first foreign trip since he took office, as he aimed to rebuild the transatlantic relations after the Trump era.

He joined the G7 summit on June 11-13 in Britain where his repeated message was “America is back”.

A communique issued on Monday following the conclusion of the Summit said leaders agreed on the “NATO 2030” agenda, a comprehensive initiative about making sure the alliance remains ready today to face tomorrow’s challenges.

According to the agenda, NATO will strengthen political consultation and the resilience of society, reinforce defence and deterrence, sharpen the technological edge, and develop its next Strategic Concept in time for the summit in 2022, said the communique.

The leaders also took decisions on the newest operational domains: cyber and space.

The bloc agreed on a new cyber defence policy, which recognizes that cyberspace is contested at all times and ensures that the bloc has strong technical capabilities, political consultations, and military planning in place to “keep our systems secure”.

In terms of Russia, NATO leaders said that they were open to a political dialogue but remained “clear-eyed” about the challenges it allegedly poses, the communique added.

Also for the first time, NATO had placed China at the centre of its agenda.

According to the communique, China’s “stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to Alliance security”, the BBC reported.

“We remain concerned with China’s frequent lack of transparency and use of disinformation,” it said.

Addressing reporters late Monday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “We’re not entering a new Cold War and China is not our adversary, not our enemy.

“We need to address together, as the alliance, the challenges that the rise of China poses to our security”.

ALSO READ: NATO declares China as a ‘systemic challenge’

Categories
-Top News Europe USA

Biden vows to lay down ‘red lines’ to Putin

Biden on Monday said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) treaty is rock solid and unshakable….reports Asian Lite News

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, will meet on Wednesday in Geneva.

Ahead of the meeting, President Biden said he would lay down “red lines” to President Putin at the, after rallying NATO allies to face up to challenges from Moscow and Beijing, media reported.

In a show of unity ahead of the meeting, President Biden on Monday said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) treaty is rock solid and unshakable.

He then called Putin a bright, tough and worthy adversary.

“The NATO treaty is rock solid and unshakable. It’s a sacred commitment,” Biden told reporters after meeting with allies at the headquarters of the 30-member military alliance that has long been focused on the threat posed by Russia.

“Putin is bright, he is tough and I have found that he is… a worthy adversary,” he said while hailing Putin.

Biden insisted: “I’m not looking for conflict with Russia, but that we will respond if Russia continues its harmful activities.”

Meanwhile, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that the US side is likely to raise the situation around Russia’s jailed opposition activist Alexey Navalny at the upcoming top-level summit in Geneva, and Belarus may also be on the agenda,.

ALSO READ: Putin likens US behaviour to Soviet Union

“As I have told you, the presidents may raise any topic. You and I understand that the US side is likely to raise the issue [of Navalny]. We see many signals related to this topic, including from the United Kingdom and Brussels. Of course, they will raise this,” Ushakov told reporters, asked if the situation around Navalny will be on the agenda.

“The presidents may raise any issue, including Belarus. I do not rule out that the Americans can raise the issue, especially given that they discussed this with allies,” Ushakov continued.

The agenda of the upcoming negotiations between Putin and Biden, has been agreed on, while diplomats continue discussing the final documents, with some clarity expected by Tuesday evening, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said.

“Practically all the organizational parameters of the meeting have been agreed upon. The most important thing is that we have agreed on the agenda and even on the order of priority of the issues that the leaders will discuss,” Ushakov told reporters, emphasizing that no agreement on a joint press conference was reached.

“Only one issue remains uncoordinated: this is related to final documents or one final document of the summit. Our colleagues from the foreign ministry are discussing this with partners from the Department of State, there is still some time left,” the Kremlin aide noted, announcing that some clarity on the final documents could be expected by the evening of June 15. (with inputs from ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ: Putin hopes Biden less impulsive than Trump

Categories
-Top News China World News

NATO declares China as a ‘systemic challenge’

“Putin is bright, he is tough and I have found that he is… a worthy adversary,” he said while hailing Putin…reports Asian Lite News.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) leaders on Monday declared that China poses a constant security challenge and it presents “systemic challenges”, taking a forceful stance towards Beijing.

The leaders said they are worried about how fast the Chinese are developing nuclear missiles, according to reports.

In a summit statement, the leaders said that China’s goals and “assertive behavior present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security,” according to media reports.

In a show of unity ahead of meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Joe Biden on Monday (local time) said that NATO treaty is rock solid and unshakable.

He then called Putin a bright, tough and worthy adversary.

“The NATO treaty is rock solid and unshakable. It’s a sacred commitment,” Biden told reporters after meeting with allies at the headquarters of the 30-member military alliance that has long been focused on the threat posed by Russia.

“Putin is bright, he is tough and I have found that he is… a worthy adversary,” he said while hailing Putin.

In a White House statement, the US President said: “There is a growing recognition over the last couple of years that we have new challenges. And we have Russia that is not acting in a way that is consistent with what we had hoped, and — as well as China.”

“And I must say that we had as (inaudible) a number of my colleagues and our colleagues who are in the G7 have stepped up as well, in terms of the need for there to be greater coordination,” he added.

Biden will meet his Russian counterpart in Geneva, Switzerland on June 16. However, NATO allies announced that they will gather in Spain next year.

Biden also met on the sidelines of the summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a time of strained relations between the two countries.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson attend the NATO Summit at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street

The US President has arrived in-person at the NATO summit, where he urged western allies to better align themselves against China and Russia, the chief foreign policy concerns of his administration.

“I think that there is a growing recognition over the last couple years that we have new challenges, and we have Russia that is not acting in a way that is consistent with what we had hoped, as well as China,” Biden said at the start of the summit, reported CNN.

The summit comes as Biden looks to reassert US leadership on the world stage and strengthen global partnerships. He arrived in Brussels on the heels of several meetings with US allies and the annual Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, UK. (with inputs from ANI)

ALSO READ-‘NATO summit to send strong signal of trans-Atlantic unity’

READ MORE-Biden looks to rebuild NATO shaken by Trump

Categories
-Top News USA

Biden looks to rebuild NATO shaken by Trump

European diplomats insist that confronting an emboldened Russia remains the priority for an alliance set up to counter the Soviet threat in the wake of World War II, reports Asian Lite News

President Joe Biden will seek to restore bonds of trust at NATO’s first post-Trump summit on Monday, as leaders push to revitalize the alliance despite differences over dangers ahead.

The allies will agree a statement stressing common ground on securing their withdrawal from Afghanistan, joint responses to cyberattacks and relations with a rising China.

Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump undermined faith in the West’s security architecture by questioning Washington’s commitment to defend European partners. And he clashed publicly with counterparts the last time leaders met in 2019, before abruptly heading home early.

In contrast, Biden has firmly reasserted American backing for the 72-year-old military alliance — and his administration has been making a show of consulting more with partners.

But there remain divisions among the allies on some key issues — including how to deal with China’s rise and how to increase common funding.

Partners are concerned about the rush to leave Afghanistan and some question the strategy of an alliance that French President Emmanuel Macron warns is undergoing “brain death.”

“We do not view NATO as a sort of a protection racket,” Biden said Sunday after a conciliatory G7 gathering in Britain.

“We believe that NATO is vital to our ability to maintain American security.”

He stressed the United States had a “sacred obligation” to the alliance and the principle of collective defense, promising he would “make the case: ‘We are back’, as well.”

The summit at NATO’s cavernous Brussels headquarters is set to greenlight a 2030 reform program.

The leaders will agree to rewrite the core “strategic concept” to face a world where cyberattacks, climate change, and new technologies pose new threats.

ALSO READ: Putin hopes Biden less impulsive than Trump

Looming large in the background is the scramble to complete NATO’s hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan after Biden surprised partners by ordering US troops home by September 11.

“I’m very confident that this summit will demonstrate the strong commitment by all NATO allies to our transatlantic bond. We have a unique opportunity to strengthen our alliance,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

G7 leaders along with leaders of guest nations pose for photograph during the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall. Picture by Andrew Parsons No 10 Downing Street

European diplomats insist that confronting an emboldened Russia remains the “number one” priority for an alliance set up to counter the Soviet threat in the wake of World War II.

Moscow’s 2014 seizure of Crimea gave renewed purpose to NATO and fellow leaders will be keen to sound Biden out ahead of his Wednesday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On China, Biden is picking up from where Trump left off by getting NATO to start paying attention to Beijing and is pushing for the alliance to take a tougher line.

But National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, briefing reporters from Air Force One, played down how big a part this would play in the statement. “The language is not going to be inflammatory,” he said.

Many allies are wary of shifting too much attention away from NATO’s main Euro-Atlantic sphere.

“This is not about moving NATO into Asia, but it’s about taking into account the fact that China is coming closer to us,” said Stoltenberg.

He pointed to attempts by Beijing to control critical infrastructure in Europe, its moves in cyberspace and heavy spending on modern weapons systems.

“NATO has to be ready to respond to any threats from any direction,” he said.

As NATO looks to the future, it is putting one of its most significant chapters behind it by ending two-decades of military involvement in Afghanistan.

Allies are patching together plans to try to avert a collapse of Afghan forces when they leave and figuring out how to provide enough security for Western embassies to keep working.

Biden will discuss a Turkish offer to keep troops at Kabul airport, in a meeting with leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ankara has offered to secure the essential transport hub, but insists it would need American support.

Sullivan said the leaders would discuss how “our embassies can stay in a safe and secure way in Afghanistan, to be able to do all the things they definitely want to do, providing for the Afghan government and security forces, the people.”

But the US president is also set to push Erdogan on Turkey’s purchase of Russian missile defenses and human rights.

As part of a reform agenda over the next decade, Stoltenberg is pressing for allies to improve political cooperation.

But there have been disagreements over proposals for increased common funding for NATO, with France especially arguing it would distract from efforts by individual nations.

On that front Biden is expected to tone down Trump’s rhetoric, bashing allies for not spending enough.

But he will still push European allies and Canada to further boost defense budgets to reach a target of two percent of GDP.

Stoltenberg said allies are expected to sign off on a new cyber defense policy and to create a fund to help start-ups developing groundbreaking technology.

They could also rule for the first time that an attack on infrastructure in space — such as satellites — could trigger the bloc’s collective self-defense clause.

ALSO READ: Queen reminded me of my mother: Biden

Categories
-Top News Europe USA

‘NATO summit to send strong signal of trans-Atlantic unity’

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
Biden is due to attend the June 14 meeting of leaders of NATO member states as part of his first foreign trip as President…reports Asian Lite News.

Next week’s NATO summit will send a strong signal of trans-Atlantic unity, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House.

“This summit will be a strong demonstration of trans-Atlantic unity of Europe and North America, because we are stronger and safer together in the more unpredictable world,” dpa news agency quoted Stoltenberg as saying on Monday.

Among the range of different challenges and threats to prepare for, Stoltenberg cited Russia, with its growing aggression toward its neighbours, and China as it invests in new military capabilities.

Biden is due to attend the June 14 meeting of leaders of NATO member states as part of his first foreign trip as President.

Stoltenberg said he was pleased to receive Biden in Brussels.

“A strong NATO is good for Europe, but it’s also good for the US, no other major power has so many friends and allies as the US has in NATO.”

White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki said that, during the meeting, Biden “expressed his strong commitment to working closely with Allies to build on NATO’s seven decades of success safeguarding trans-Atlantic security and democratic values”.

“The two leaders agreed on the importance of the NATO 2030 initiative to adapt the Alliance to meet the challenges of strategic competition and transnational threats, including climate change and cyberattacks.”

Under former President Donald Trump, relations between the US and many of its allies became strained.

Former US President Donald Trump

Biden has pledged to address this.

Stoltenberg also met US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday.

The issues they discussed included Afghanistan, where the official withdrawal of international troops has been underway for just over a month.

ALSO READ-NATO to continue support for Afghan forces after troop withdrawal

READ MORE-Erdogan warns US ahead of NATO summit

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

NATO to continue support for Afghan forces after troop withdrawal

“We are ending our military mission in Afghanistan, but we will continue to provide support to the Afghans,” said Stoltenberg…reports Asian Lite News

At a NATO Foreign Minister’s virtual meeting at Brussels on Tuesday (local time), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the organisation will continue to support Afghanistan’s security forces even after the planned withdrawal this year of the alliance’s 9,600 troops.

“A civilian presence in the capital Kabul will be maintained to provide advice to security institutions,” said Jens Stoltenberg, reported UAE based news portal The National News.

“We are ending our military mission in Afghanistan, but we will continue to provide support to the Afghans,” Stoltenberg said.

He said that NATO members were committed to decisions they made when announcing the alliance’s military withdrawal from the country after almost 20 years.

The military alliance was also planning to provide out-of-country training for Afghan special forces, reported The National News.

“We will also help to support the Afghan security forces by now working on how we can provide out-of-country training, especially for the Afghan special operation forces,” said Stoltenberg.

“We are working on how we can support critical infrastructure, including the continued running of the international airport,” added Stoltenberg.

“This is of course important for NATO and NATO civilian staff in Kabul, but also for, overall, the larger international community.”

Last month, NATO announced it would withdraw its forces from Afghanistan this year (September 2021), despite fears that the Taliban could regain power.

ALSO READ: Pak wants Afghanistan to break ties with India: Karzai

The talks also looked at how NATO could bolster its collective defence and protect vital infrastructure, reported The National News.

“We also discussed concrete ways to sharpen our technological edge and prevent technological gaps among allies,” Stoltenberg said.

He told a press conference that NATO members were “considering [establishing] a defence innovation accelerator – a new centre to foster greater co-operation among allies on technology, underpinned with extra funding from nations that decide to participate”.

Stoltenberg said there was a broad agreement that “additional resources” were needed to tackle the challenges faced by a more “unpredictable” and “contested world”.

NATO has a “historic opportunity” to strengthen the transatlantic relationship, he added.

US President Joe Biden has sought to rebuild ties with NATO and the EU after four tumultuous years under former president Donald Trump, who was often critical of the alliance and member states.

“Of course, spending together is a way to invest in the bond between Europe and North America. NATO brings Europe and North America together every day,” Stoltenberg said, as he urged member states to increase funding.

The Pentagon’s Central Command, responsible for operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East, said that it had already completed up to 44 per cent of the US military’s withdrawal, reported The National News.

Biden has set September 11 as the deadline for all US personnel to be out of Afghanistan, officially ending America’s longest war, which began soon after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

According to The National News, on Wednesday, the NATO chief will head to London for talks with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. (ANI)

ALSO READ: A window of opportunity for India in Afghanistan

Categories
-Top News Asia News USA

Erdogan warns US ahead of NATO summit

This was two weeks before his first meeting with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels on June 14….reports Asian Lite News

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the United States that it risked “losing a precious friend”, according to media reports.

Erdogan said in an interview with Turkish state broadcaster TRT on Tuesday that “those who corner the Republic of Turkey will lose a precious friend”.

This was two weeks before his first meeting with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels on June 14.

The relations between the two NATO countries have further worsened after US, in its report, highlighted Turkey’s dire human rights record.

“If the United States is indeed our ally, should they side with the terrorists or with us? Unfortunately, they continue to support the terrorists,” reports quoted Erdogan as saying.

Erdogan had previously indicated he intended to mend ties with Biden, last week saying their meeting will be a “harbinger of a new era” in US-Turkey relations.

US President Joe Biden (Photo @POTUS – Twitter)

After taking office in January, Biden waited for three months to call the Turkish leader in April, and that too was also on the eve of recognising the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman empire during World War I.

Last month, Erdogan had condemned Biden for approving the sale of $735 million in precision-guided weapons to Israel.

The US President was “writing history with bloody hands in this incident where Gaza was attacked disproportionately,” Erdogan said at a press conference elaborating on recent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians.

“You have forced us to say this. We can’t stay silent on this anymore,” he added.

“Palestinian lands are being washed with blood and cruelty. You are also supporting this,” Erdogan noted.

ALSO READ: A Third Israeli-Hamas War — What’s Next?