BALADI NEWS
Turkey will press ahead with its operation in northern Syria until its goals are reached, the country’s National Security Council said on Tuesday.
Operation Peace Spring, launched last month, “which contributes to peace and stability in the region, will continue until it reaches its goals, while taking all precautions to prevent harm to civilians,” the council, chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said in a statement after meeting at the presidential complex in Ankara.
The council also said that Turkey expects the U.S. and Russia to fulfill their agreements with Ankara as soon as possible to clear the Kurdish militias from areas of northern Syria, including Tal Rifat and Manbij.
The council reiterated that Turkey will continue its determined fight against the terror group Daesh/ISIS and is open to any cooperation towards that end.
“We call on the international community to support Turkey, which aims for the safe and voluntary return of Syrians to their country without any discrimination based on ethnicity or religion,” the council also said.
Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate SDF/YPG militias from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders.
Ankara wants SDF/YPG militias to withdraw from the region so a safe zone can be created to pave the way for the safe return of some two million refugees.
Under two separate deals with the U.S. and Russia, Turkey paused the operation to allow the withdrawal of SDF/YPG militias from the planned northern Syria safe zone.
But Turkey says it will resume the Peace Spring operation as SDF/YPG militias have failed to withdraw from some areas and continue to attack both soldiers and civilians.
Source: Anadolu Agency.