12.10.2019, Ankara.
The Turkish military operation in Syria is necessary for national survival, said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on October 10 in response to US President Donald Trump initiative to impose sanctions against Turkey, CNN Turk reports.
“This is a matter of our national survival regardless of who threatens us with economic sanctions”, said Cavusoglu.
Turkey’s allies prefer to side with a terrorist organization instead of supporting their partner, emphasized the foreign minister.
Allies will not support Turkey; and if there is a serious threat to the country, it will have to fight terrorists alone, also noted Cavusoglu.
The US is trying to play a political game when it regards the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG), “a terrorist organization”, as “an ally”, stressed the minister when speaking about the US initiative to impose sanctions against Turkey.
Turkey is operating in Syria under international law and according to the Adana agreement, signed by Turkey and Syria in 1998, said the foreign minister. According to this agreement, Turkey can carry out military operations against terrorists on Syrian territory in the event that Damascus cannot do it on its own.
Turkey is fighting only against the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria, defending civilians so that terrorists cannot hide behind them as a human shield, noted Mevlut Cavusoglu.
On October 9, Turkey invaded the northern part Syria and began Operation Peace Spring, which is directed against the YPG forces. Shipments of US weapons to the YPG military units, which they do not consider a terrorist organization, served as a pretext for the invasion.
228 YPG members were killed. Turkey’s actions have damaged historic sites in the Al-Kamyshly and Tel Abyad districts, reported Syrian authorities.
US President Donald Trump said he was ready to use far more than economic sanctions against Turkey.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
