Trump vows to wipe out ‘terrorists’

WASHINGTON: President- elect Donald Trump vowed Monday, a month before he takes office, to wipe ‘terrorists' off the face of the Earth, after a series of high-profile attacks in Germany, Turkey and Switzerland.

German police have so far spoken of a possible terror attack after a truck plowed through a crowd, killing at least 12 and injuring dozens more in scenes reminiscent of July's deadly truck attack in the French city of Nice.

But still, Trump condemned the ' horrifying terror attack.'

“ISIS and other Islamist terrorists continually slaughter Christians in their communities and places of worship as part of their global jihad,” he added, referring to the Islamic State group.

Trump then promised: “These terrorists and their regional and worldwide networks must be eradicated from the face of the Earth, a mission we will carry out with all freedom-loving partners.”

In Ankara, a policeman shot dead Russia's ambassador to Turkey. Trump called the gunman a “radical Islamic terrorist.”

The shooting, during which the gun man shouted' Aleppo' and' A ll ahu akbar' (God is great), occurred on the eve of a key meeting in Moscow between the Russian, Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers on the Syrian conflict.

Protesters in Turkey have held Moscow responsible for human rights violations in Aleppo, with thousands protesting outside the Russian consulate in Istanbul.

Turkey and Russia stand on opposite sides of the Syria conflict with Ankara backing rebels trying to topple Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad.

But the rhetoric has warmed considerably since a reconciliation deal was signed earlier this year and a Russian and Turkish brokered accord has helped the evacuation of citizens from Aleppo in the last days.

As a billionaire real estate investor, Trump has curried favor with Moscow through his business dealings over the decades.