USA says no evidence shows Turkey involved in Islamic State oil smuggling

He specifically targeted Turkey, accusing it of buying oil from the Islamic State group. “But those who make these slanders should not remain in their posts either”. The shoot-down, the first time a North Atlantic Treaty Organization country has downed a Russian plane in more than half a century, triggered a bitter falling out between the two nations, which had developed robust economic ties.

As well as the sanctions already put in place, Russian Federation has deployed long-range air defense missile systems to Syria and warned that it would shoot down any aerial threat to its aircraft flying there.

“If these responses continue we will take our own measures”, he added, without elaborating. Antonov claimed that “terrorists in Syria” earned $2 billion from the illegal oil trade and “that is why IS so protects its thieving oil extraction infrastructure in Syria and Iraq”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed never to forget Turkey’s downing of one of his country’s warplanes, as he lashed out once again at the Turkish government over the incident.

Erdogan said Thursday “a famous Russian chess player” was also involved in the oil business with IS, without giving a name.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Wednesday that some areas were still not properly secured. “Obviously no one but the closest people could be entrusted to control such things [as oil bought from IS]”.

Erdoğan earlier rejected Russian claims that he and his family are profiting from trade in oil with the ISIL group.

Erdogan said the Russian actions were not in line with “state dignity”.

“We have the proof in our hands”.

The Russian government has released undated satellite imagery which supposedly proves Turkish involvement in the ISIS oil smuggling operation. “We just don’t believe that to be true in any way, shape or form”. “After two months of Russian air strikes their income was about $1.5m (£1m) a day”, he said.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on December 1 that Russian Federation was using these “unfounded” claims to “cover up” its violation of Turkey’s airspace when the jet was shot down. A Russian marine also died trying to retrieve a second pilot. “Let those in Turkey who shot our pilots in the back know this”, Putin told lawmakers in his annual state of the nation speech, which also focused on Russia’s airstrikes in Syria.

Erdogan has voiced regret over the incident, but Putin has made it clear that he expects a formal apology.

World leaders have urged both sides to avoid escalation.

“The main customer for this oil stolen from its rightful owners – Syria and Iraq – is Turkey”.

“We have many friends in Turkey”, he said and added, “they should know that we do not equate them and part of the current Turkish leadership, which holds a direct responsibility for the deaths of our troops in Syria”, he stressed.