Turkish leader Erdogan ups rhetoric on Greece amid tensions

By ZEYNEP BILGINSOY
Associated Press

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has upped his rhetoric against Greece by threatening to “come down suddenly one night.” Erdogan has previously used that phrase to hint at looming military operations into Syria and Iraq against Kurdish militants that Turkey deems existential threats. Erdogan lashed out at Greece amid political and military tensions while speaking Saturday at an aerial technology festival in Samsun. Turkey has accused Greece of using Russian-made S-300 missile systems in Crete to lock onto Turkish jets in August. Ankara has also said Greek F-16s harassed Turkish jets by putting them under a radar lock during a NATO mission over the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey is submitting complaints with NATO. Athens has also accused Turkey of violating its airspace.