Erdogan vows not to allow Kurdish stronghold in northern Syria

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday vowed Turkey would not allow the creation of a Kurdish stronghold in northern Syria, saying there was no question of Turkish forces stopping their bombardment of Syrian Kurdish fighters.

"We will not allow a new Qandil on our southern border" with Syria, Erdogan said in a televised speech in Ankara, referring to the mountain in northern Iraq which for years has been stronghold of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants.

"They (the West) tell use to stop shelling" the Kurdish fighters in Syria, Erdogan said after Turkey hit their positions for four days in a row. "Forgive me, but there is no question of us doing such a thing."