TEHRAN, YJC. -- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the military alliance was not going to help Syrian opposition defend rebel-controlled northern parts of Syria with Patriot surface-to-air missiles that are now based in Turkey.
Speaking on the heels of a meeting with Bulgaria's PM Marin Raykov, Rasmussen stressed that "the Patriot missiles were deployed in Turkey for only defensive purposes. We have no intention to attack anyone and we had declared that we were in Turkey to protect the Turkish people and Turkish territory.”
A total of six Patriot batteries have been pulled to Turkey’s southern border with Syria to protect it from missile attacks.
The statement came after Syrian Coalition’s chief Moaz al-Khatyb called on the US and NATO to help the opposition keep the upper hand in northern Syria.
* Interfax