Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggests his relations with U.S. President Barack Obama have diminished, saying he is disappointed about not getting direct results on the crisis in Syria. Erdogan is believed to have wanted direct U.S., military intervention in Syria.
Erdogan told Turkish media he used to call Obama directly, but now leaves conversations on Syria to the two countries’ foreign ministers. He said he speaks directly with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on the Iraqi crisis.
In Syria, amateur video that was said to be shot in Syrian cities on Monday and Tuesday showed damages from an artillery bombing. The video purports to show the aftermath of attacks by government forces that destroyed buildings and wrecked cars.
More than 170,000 people have died and 2.9 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries, including Turkey, since the Syrian conflict began as peaceful protests in March 2011. The fighting has forced another 6.5 million people from their homes within Syria.