If Safe Zone Not Established
Turkey Threatens to Launch Operation in Syria
ISTANBUL (Dispatches) – Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says if a planned safe zone in northern Syria is not established, and if threats continue against Turkey, Ankara will launch a military operation east of the Euphrates river.
Turkey has been in talks with the United States over the establishment of a safe zone across its border in northeast Syria, where the United States supports the Kurdish YPG militants. Ankara sees the YPG as a terrorist organization.
In an interview with broadcaster TGRT Haber, Cavusoglu also said he hopes an agreement will be reached after talks on Monday with U.S. special envoy for Syria James Jeffrey, who is visiting Turkey.
Turkey has been in talks with the U.S. over the establishment of a militant-free safe zone across its border in northern Syria.
Cavusoglu said on Monday that talks with the U.S. have slowed down, adding that his country had told Washington that it should not use the fighting in Syria's province of Idlib as a pretext for deserting the proposed safe zone further east.
Washington revised plans for a total pullout of troops from Syria by saying in February that in total between 800 and 1,500 foreign troops would be sent on a mission to police northeastern Syria in the near future, around 400 of them American.
This is deemed as a reversal of promises by President Donald Trump to withdraw all 2,000 US troops from the Arab country once Washington's alleged fight against terrorism ends.
However, Turkey suspects the U.S. and allies are helping the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) forces based in east of the Euphrates river to establish a permanent foothold in the region. Ankara views the armed Kurds in northeastern Syria as an extension of the outlawed Kurdish militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Internally displaced Syrians walk in a flooded camp near the village of Kah, in Idlib province, northwestern Syria, on December 19, 2018.
Turkey has been in talks with the United States over the establishment of a safe zone across its border in northeast Syria, where the United States supports the Kurdish YPG militants. Ankara sees the YPG as a terrorist organization.
In an interview with broadcaster TGRT Haber, Cavusoglu also said he hopes an agreement will be reached after talks on Monday with U.S. special envoy for Syria James Jeffrey, who is visiting Turkey.
Turkey has been in talks with the U.S. over the establishment of a militant-free safe zone across its border in northern Syria.
Cavusoglu said on Monday that talks with the U.S. have slowed down, adding that his country had told Washington that it should not use the fighting in Syria's province of Idlib as a pretext for deserting the proposed safe zone further east.
Washington revised plans for a total pullout of troops from Syria by saying in February that in total between 800 and 1,500 foreign troops would be sent on a mission to police northeastern Syria in the near future, around 400 of them American.
This is deemed as a reversal of promises by President Donald Trump to withdraw all 2,000 US troops from the Arab country once Washington's alleged fight against terrorism ends.
However, Turkey suspects the U.S. and allies are helping the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) forces based in east of the Euphrates river to establish a permanent foothold in the region. Ankara views the armed Kurds in northeastern Syria as an extension of the outlawed Kurdish militants of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Internally displaced Syrians walk in a flooded camp near the village of Kah, in Idlib province, northwestern Syria, on December 19, 2018.