Syria's Assad slams Turkey's Erdogan for fighting next to "terrorists"

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has slammed his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for fighting next to "terrorists" in Syria.

Assad made the remarks during an interview with the RT-24 TV aired Thursday evening and posted on the official website of the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

In the interview, Assad criticized the role of the Turkish administration in supporting the ultra-radical rebel groups in Syria, including those affiliated with the al-Qaida group.

However, Assad said that the Syrian people have no problem with the Turkish people, saying there are entwined relations between both peoples.

Assad made it clear that the priority for Syria is Idlib province, where Turkey-backed rebels and Turkish forces are present.

He said the Turkish side is bringing its forces into Idlib as directed by the U.S., which is present in the eastern Euphrates region in eastern Syria.

The presence of foreign forces on Syrian soil will create resistance movements against foreign forces, noting that after securing Idlib, the next goal of the Syrian army is the eastern Euphrates region.

Assad made the remarks as the relation with Turkey has further worsened since the Syrian army launched a campaign against the rebel groups in Idlib over the past two months.

The Assad interview was aired at a time Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Erdogan, held a summit in Moscow and agreed to establish a cease-fire in Idlib that will go into force at midnight Friday.