Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey does not hope for NATO’s support during a new military operation to fight against terrorists in Syria, a source in the Turkish government told Trend on Dec. 12.
According to the source, if NATO wanted to support Turkey in the fight against terrorism in Syria, it would support the Operation Euphrates Shield and the Operation Olive Branch.
The source stressed that presently, about 30 percent of the Syrian-Turkish border is controlled by PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist organization.
The activity of PYD/YPG at the Turkish border is a real threat to Turkey’s national interests, the source said.
"The new military operation, to be launched in the next few days, will not be difficult for Turkey. The Turkish Armed Forces have proved their strength in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations," the source said.
According to the source, the Arab and Kurdish population living in the territories occupied by the PYD/YPG militants are being oppressed by terrorists.
Turkey's Armed Forces will launch a new military operation within three days in northern Syria against PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist organization, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan claimed that there are US soldiers in the detachments of the terrorists in Syria.
"Despite that the US has promised Turkey that it would not support PYD/YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, the US did not keep its word," Erdogan said.
On June 4, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed a road map on Syria's Manbij during talks in Washington.
Also, Pompeo and Cavusoglu met in Brussels and discussed the Operation Olive Branch, as well as other issues.
On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria.
On Aug. 24, 2016, units of the Turkish Armed Forces began the Operation Euphrates Shield against the "Islamic State" and with the support of the Syrian opposition liberated the border town of Jarablus in northern Syria, as well as al-Bab.
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