CHP: Government turned a 'blind eye' to Islamic State for years

The Turkish opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has criticised the ruling Justice and Development party's (AKP) slowness in tackling the Islamic State group pointing out that while it intervenes against the group in northern Syria it has not done enough to tackle the group domestically.

"The AKP turned a blind eye to IS instead of fighting it head on," said CHP spokeswoman Selin Sayek Boke, during a break in a meeting of the party's central executive board on Wednesday.

"It closed its eyes as people from 70 of our provinces joined IS ranks. IS freely organises picnics in the centre of Istanbul, lets it publish its magazines in the country."