Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed Western governments for a worsening refugee crisis and the deaths and drownings of migrants seeking shelter from war-torn countries.
"To be honest, the whole Western world is to be blamed, in my opinion," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during an interview with CNN International.
He sounded a reflective tone when asked about the image of a lifeless Syrian toddler whose body washed ashore a Turkish coast as he and his family tried to reach the Greek islands.
"When we saw it we were devastated. And we asked the question to ourselves: Where is the conscience of humanity?," he said.
Two-year-old Aylan Kurdi drowned, along with his 5-year-old brother, and mother. Their bodies, along with nine other victims, washed up along the coast of the Turkish resort town of Bodrum early Wednesday after the boat they were traveling in sank in the Aegean Sea.
The photos of the victims went viral on social media, sparking worldwide outrage and widespread condemnation from world leaders.