Baladi News
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday that Turkey's main aim in Syria is establishing a safe zone in the country's northern region that will enable 4 million refugees to return to their hometowns. Speaking at a meeting of the Red Crescent, Erdoğan reminded that until now they have secured the return of almost 300,000 Syrian refugees to liberated areas of northern Syria, including Azaz, Jarablus, al-Bab and Afrin.
"I believe a safe zone formed all along the southern Syrian border of Turkey will enable these numbers to reach millions," the president said.
In a surprise move last month, President Donald Trump said he would withdraw the 2,000 US troops from Syria, and Erdogan subsequently said the two leaders had discussed setting up a 32km-deep safe zone in the war-torn country along the border with Turkey.
On Friday, Erdogan said that Turkey expected the safe zone to be set up within a few months, otherwise, it would establish a buffer area without the help of other nations.
Ankara wants the zone to contain the fighters of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which the US has armed and trained to fight against the Islamic State.
The YPG has rejected the idea of a "security zone" set up by Ankara, fearing a Turkish offensive against territory under their control.
Source: Daily Sabah - Al-Jazeera.