Turkish President Erdogan calls his French counterpart 'brain dead' over criticism

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in retaliation to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron's criticism towards Ankara's Syria invasion and dispute within NATO, has called him "brain dead." Moreover, in a televised interview, the Turkish President claimed that Macron was 'inexperienced' to comprehend terror. 

Erdogan said, "I am talking to France's President Emmanuel Macron, and I will also say this at NATO. First of all, you should check whether you are brain dead first. These statements are suitable only to people like you who are in a state of brain death." "I have explained to him the threats we are facing from Syria many times. But he never understood. Believe me, he is so inexperienced. He does not know what the fight against terror is," the Turkish President added. He even took a dig at the Yellow vest uprisings in France. "What is your business in Syria?" Erdogan questioned Macron. 

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Macron on Turkish invasion 

The French President has been critical of Turkey's military operation in Syria, since the US decided to abruptly withdraw troops, leaving their allies, the Syrian Kurds stranded.  “I respect the security interests of our Turkish ally ... but one can’t say that we are allies and demand solidarity, and on the other hand, present allies with a fait accompli by a military intervention which jeopardizes the action of the coalition against IS,” Macron had said at the meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

The comment by Erdogan comes days ahead of the NATO Summit, which will see the heads of both France and Turkey in attendance. Following the comments, the French Foreign Minister summoned the Turkish Ambassador Ismail Hakki Musa to explain the "unacceptable statements."

Ahead of the NATO summit in London, Macron and Erdogan are expected to have a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss the situation in Syria. There has been tension among the NATO allies over the Syrian conflict since Turkey unilaterally decided to launch an offensive in northern Syria. While Trump administration had decided to pull back US troops from Syrian soil, the House of Representatives passed a resolution against the withdrawal.

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