If necessary, Turkey will conduct new cross-border operations in northern Syria. This was announced today by sources from the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, quoted by the state TV TRT-Haber, writes BTA.
The comments were made on the occasion of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement on the possibility of new such operations aimed at ending the establishment of the security zone at a depth of 30 km.
Conducting operations to ensure the security of the country and our borders is a legitimate right of Turkey from the point of view of international law and the right of self-defense. Until today, we have done everything necessary in this regard and will continue to do so in the future wherever there is a source of terrorism threatening our country and people, the sources said.
Since 2016, Turkey has conducted several operations in northern Syria to clear the area near the Turkish border of terrorists from the "Islamic State" and by fighters from the Syrian Kurdish militia People's Protection Forces (PDF), which Ankara says are linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). In 2016, the operation "Euphrates Shield" began, in 2018 – "Olive Branch", and in 2019 – "Fountain of Peace".
Meanwhile, the Turkish Ministry of Defense reported that 48 militants were neutralized in operations conducted on Turkish territory, as well as in Iraq and northern Syria, over the past week.
The number of fighters neutralized since the beginning of the year has reached 2,505, the Ministry of Defense said, quoted by TRT-Haber TV.
On the occasion of the last round of negotiations to settle the conflict in Syria in the "Astanin format" (Russia, Turkey, Iran) held on November 11 and 12 in Kazakhstan, Turkish Defense Ministry sources indicated that Ankara will continue to make efforts to restore relations with Damascus, which were severed in 2012.
At the meeting, the efforts for a comprehensive settlement of the conflict in Syria, the humanitarian situation in the country and the mobilization of the efforts of the international community to promote its reconstruction after the conflict were discussed.