President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday evening discussed Operation Peace Spring in Syria in a live interview with broadcaster TRT. Preside
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday evening discussed Operation Peace Spring in Syria in a live interview with broadcaster TRT.
President Erdoğan explained that Turkey named the operation Peace Spring because of the many springs surrounding Syria’s Ras al-Ayn and Ayn al-Arab (Kobani).
Erdoğan said that Turkey will create an observation area near Manbij in northeastern Syria. “We already have established a peace corridor 10 kilometers deep into Syria from Tal Abyad to Jarablus,” he said.
“A no-fly zone is out of the question for Turkish presence in Syria. We will be at least 10 kilometers deep into Syria, which will facilitate our intervention against any possible (People’s Protection Units) YPG terror acts,” he said.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring, the third in a series of cross-border anti-terror operations in northern Syria targeting terrorists affiliated with Daesh and the PKK’s Syrian offshoot the YPG, on Oct. 9 at 4 p.m.
Erdoğan noted that the ringleader of the YPG Ferhat Abdi Şahin (Mazloum Kobani) is wanted with an Interpol red notice, adding that the U.S. should hand him over to Turkey.
“The U.S. gave at least 30,000 truckloads of weaponry to terror groups in Syria. We are NATO partners, why don’t they give the ammunition to us?” the Turkish president asked.
Erdoğan also criticized leaders and politicians from Germany, France and the U.S. who have meet with the terrorist organization members.
In regard to U.S. President Donald Trump, Erdoğan said Trump is “sincere” in their conversations.
“He has acted as honestly as possible up to this point in our personal relationship. I will visit the U.S. now that there is a positive atmosphere between our countries,” he said, referring to a visit to Washington planned for Nov. 13. The two leaders will discuss recent developments in northern Syria and bilateral ties during the visit.
“We do not have a problem with Kurds, they are our brothers. The problem for us are the terrorist groups,” Erdoğan reiterated.
In regard to Daesh terrorists in Syria, Erdoğan said that Turkey is meticulously tracking their whereabouts and the prisons in Syria where they are held. “We will be actively pursuing criminal prosecution for them,” he said.
Erdoğan also addressed the negative reaction of the the Arab League to Turkey’s operation. “The Arab League’s reaction to our Operation Peace Spring is strange, as they have kicked Syria out of the union. Turkey is actively helping Arabs in the region while they are attacking them with barrel bombs,” he said.
“The Arab League has failed to address any issues of the Islamic world so far,” he added.
On Tuesday, Turkey reached an agreement with Russia on a 10-point plan to create a terror-free safe zone in northern Syria and they reiterated their commitment to the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria.
According to the agreement, PKK/YPG terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Turkey’s border within 150 hours and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols there.