Islamic Anti-Terror Coalition to Prove Islam Not Equal to Terrorism

An Islamic coalition against terrorism is the best answer to those trying to connect Islam with terrorism, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Tuesday.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia announced the formation of an anti-terror military coalition of 34 largely-Islamic countries, including Egypt. The joint operation command center will be based in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

“We have received from it [Saudi Arabia] an invitation for a meeting dedicated to the creation of a Islamic coalition against terrorism. Turkey is ready to participate in it. The fact that Islamic countries are willing to contribute to the fight against terrorism is the best answer to those trying to connect Islam with terror,” Davutoglu said at a press conference.

He added that the establishment of such a coalition is “a step in the right direction.”

Saudi Arabia is a member of the US led coalition of 65 countries conducting airstrikes against Daesh (ISIL/the Islamic State) targets in Syria and Iraq since 2014.

On September 30, Russia launched a separate aerial campaign against the terrorist group, prohibited in Russia and many other countries, in Syria at the request of President Bashar Assad.