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Erdogan Silent on Nairobi Mall Attack

Erdogan’s silence on terror attacks in Kenya and Pakistan raises the question of whether he is taking a balanced approach in his criticism of the West.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan gets into a car upon his arrival a day before the G20 Summit in St. Petersburg, September 4, 2013. The Group of 20 cut its teeth in the global financial crisis of 2009, achieving unprecedented cooperation between developed and emerging nations to stave off economic collapse which has not been matched since. REUTERS/Alexei Maishev/RIA Novosti/Pool (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS HEADSHOT) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBU

The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned yesterday [Sept. 23] in a written statement the attack by al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabab terrorists on a shopping center in Nairobi, Kenya, in which at least 67 people died. Extending Turkey’s deep sorrow and sincere condolences to the Kenyan people, the statement read: “Standing against all sorts of terrorist activities, Turkey strongly condemns this attack. These kinds of terrorist attacks aim to harm the Somalia administration and its people in their determination to build a peaceful state and relationships with Somalia’s neighbors. On this occasion, we like to reiterate our solidarity with the friendly and brotherly Kenyan people.”  

The Foreign Ministry also released a similar written statement yesterday condemning the terror attacks in Peshawar, Pakistan, targeting the Christian community there.  “We have learned with deep sorrow that at least 78 people lost their lives, including women and children, and more than 120 people were injured in two consecutive suicide attacks perpetrated against the All Saints Church in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Paktunkhwa province, yesterday (Sept. 22) in Pakistan,” the statement read, strongly condemning the attack and conveying Turkey’s sincere condolences to the Pakistani people. “Turkey strongly condemns any kind of terrorist act targeting peace and security and aiming at destroying the internal stability in brotherly Pakistan. On this occasion, we express once again our strong feelings of solidarity with the brotherly government and people of Pakistan.”

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