Turkish PM says pope joined ‘evil front’ against Turkey

ISTANBUL (AP) — Adding to angry comments about the Pope Francis’ description of the Ottoman-era killing of Armenians as genocide, Turkey’s prime minister says that the pontiff has joined an evil front plotting against Turkey.

Ahmet Davutoglu made the comments at an event in Ankara outlining the ruling party’s platform for June parliamentary elections and presenting its candidates. He called the pope’s description of the killings of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians as “the first genocide of the 20th century” unjust.

Turkey denies the killings that began 100 years ago were genocide. It contends those who died were victims of civil war and unrest, and the death toll has been inflated.

Davutoglu said: “An evil front is being formed before us…Now the pope has joined it and these plots.”