ANKARA (Dispatches) – Turkish troops launched a new incursion into northern Syria to “neutralize” 14 YPG/PKK militants across the border, Turkish National Defense Ministry said.
The ministry said on Twitter that the “militants opened harassing fire in the so-called Operation Peace Spring and Operation Euphrates Shield zones”.
Turkish authorities use the term “neutralize” to imply the militants in question surrendered or were killed or captured.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched offensives across its border in northern Syria to “prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents”.
Syria has condemned the Turkish military’s ongoing operations in the northern part of the country, stressing that the offensives are in blatant violation of the Arab nation’s sovereignty and independence.
The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in September last year that the operations are in line with the hostile policies that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has been practicing against Syria ever since the latter was embroiled in foreign-sponsored militancy more than a decade ago, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported.
He added that Syria calls on the UN Secretary General António Guterres and the Security Council to adopt a clear stance vis-à-vis the Ankara government’s aggressive policies, as Security Council’s resolutions reiterate respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
Syria reserves the right, in accordance with its constitution, principles of the international law and the UN Charter provisions, to respond to Turkey’s aggression, put an end to the practice, and hold Ankara legally, politically and financially accountable to pay reparations for the damage it has incurred, the source noted.
Ankara-backed militants were deployed to northeastern Syria in October 2019 after Turkish military forces launched a long-threatened cross-border invasion in a declared attempt to push fighters of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) away from border areas.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials have said the Damascus government will respond through all legitimate means available to the ongoing ground offensive by Turkish forces and allied militants in the northern part of the war-battered Arab country.