Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the photo of drowned Alan Kurdi had a “devastating” impact on him, he told reporters Thursday.
Erdogan added, “We asked ourselves where has humanity vanished?”
Two-year-old Alan and his older brother Gaeb, 4, drowned with their mother Rehan, 28, and nine other migrants off the Turkish coast of Bodrum while trying to reach the Greek island of Kos.
“When I saw the picture, I was sitting with my family. Unfortunately, my grandsons were there too and of course it had a devastating impact on all of us,” Erdogan told media.
“Where is the human consciences?” he added.
Erdogan said the European Union (EU) had a responsibility towards the migrants and accused EU member states of “indifference.”
“In fact, I lay the blame on all European countries in this crisis,” said Erdogan, whose country has received over 2 million refugees from Syria and spent over $6 billion in addressing the refugee crisis.
Turkish officials have said they have received about $500 million in international aid for the refugees.
Ankara has been a fierce critic of the West’s policies in regard to the Syria conflict for not removing President Basahr al-Assad from power.
Turkey has been accused of harboring ISIS recruits in the past against Assad’s regime, a claim categorically denied by Ankara.
Erdogan added, “We asked ourselves where has humanity vanished?”
Two-year-old Alan and his older brother Gaeb, 4, drowned with their mother Rehan, 28, and nine other migrants off the Turkish coast of Bodrum while trying to reach the Greek island of Kos.
“When I saw the picture, I was sitting with my family. Unfortunately, my grandsons were there too and of course it had a devastating impact on all of us,” Erdogan told media.
“Where is the human consciences?” he added.
Erdogan said the European Union (EU) had a responsibility towards the migrants and accused EU member states of “indifference.”
“In fact, I lay the blame on all European countries in this crisis,” said Erdogan, whose country has received over 2 million refugees from Syria and spent over $6 billion in addressing the refugee crisis.
Turkish officials have said they have received about $500 million in international aid for the refugees.
Ankara has been a fierce critic of the West’s policies in regard to the Syria conflict for not removing President Basahr al-Assad from power.
Turkey has been accused of harboring ISIS recruits in the past against Assad’s regime, a claim categorically denied by Ankara.
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