Turkey ready for an operation east of the Euphrates in Syria
ARK News: Turkey is ready for an operation east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, to clear the region of the PYD militants.
"We have completed our preparations and action plan, the necessary instructions were given.
"It is maybe today or tomorrow the time to clear the way for [our] peace efforts which is set and the process for them was started. We will carry out the ground and air operation,” Erdogan said.
"Turkey has to carry out and succeed in this operation [east of Euphrates] for both its national security and [to ensure] the return of Syrians in Turkey to their own country," he stressed.
Turkey has long complained about the threat coming from east of the Euphrates in northern Syria, which neighbors its southern border, vowing to take military action to prevent the formation of a "corridor" there.
Turkey made all kinds of warnings to the related parties of the issue on establishing a safe zone in northern Syria, Erdogan said.
"We have been patient enough. Land patrols, air patrols [carried out with the U.S. for safe zone], we see that all were a tale," the president said.
U.S. and Turkish troops have carried out three joint ground patrols for the safe zone since Sept. 9.
While Turkey welcomes the joint patrols, it has also said the U.S. is not doing enough to set up the safe zone properly.
On Aug. 7, Turkish and U.S. military officials agreed to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return home. They also agreed to establish a joint operations center.
Washington has partnered with the YPG-led SDF in the effort to secure Da’esh’s defeat in northeast Syria, which has strained relations with Ankara.
Erdogan signaled a military operation again to keep Turkey away from threat when he said that it is now the end of talks with those wasting Turkey’s time using diplomacy.
Turkey has long championed the idea of free safe zones in Syria. It has stressed ridding the area of the YPG, as well as resettling Syrian migrants currently sheltered in Turkey.
Source: Anatolia Agency
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