Erdogan warned he would release ISIS prisoners back to European countries after the EU punished Turkey for exploration of gas in the Mediterranean.

"You should change your position on Turkey, which currently holds a lot of IS prisoners and is controlling them in Syria," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Ankara today. before a visit to America.

Erdogan said Ankara will continue to repatriate foreign IS rebels, even if those countries refuse to accept them.

"The gates will be opened and the IS rebels will continue to be sent back. At that time, please resolve your own problems," he said.

Ankara is pushing for the repatriation of captured foreign militants, declaring Turkey "not a hotel" for IS, while also criticizing Western countries for refusing to accept citizens who have joined the terrorist group. extreme.

Turkey deported its citizens of the United States, Denmark and Germany on November 11 and plans to repatriate seven other German citizens, along with two Irish and 11 French. Last week, the Erdogan government said about 1,200 IS rebels were detained in Turkish prisons and 287 terrorist group members were arrested during the Ankara military campaign launched in Syria last month.

Erdogan's comments came in the context of the EU's foreign ministers (EU) adopting a new mechanism to "punish individuals, entities responsible for or involved in hydrocarbon gas drilling activities left". permission to the east of the Mediterranean ".

The Turkish drilling ships, escorted by warships, began exploring the waters off Cyprus Island in the summer, although the EU member state claimed exclusive economic privilege in the area. However, Ankara says it is protecting its interests as well as Turkish Turks on this divided island.

EU officials do not set a timeline for the mechanism, which is believed to provide an opportunity for Turkey to stop gas drilling operations before sanctions are enforced. However, Erdogan said he would not give in or give up oil and gas exploration near Cyprus.