Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 26
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
The Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria is directed against terrorists and Turkey doesn’t pursue ethnic cleansing policy, Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar said, Trend reports Oct. 26 with reference to Turkish media.
Akar said that the Turkish Armed Forces didn’t use chemical weapons as part of the Operation Peace Spring.
The Turkish defense minister noted that the Turkish Armed Forces are observing the withdrawal of YPG/PYD troops from northern Syria, in accordance with the Sochi agreement.
On Oct. 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan held six-hour talks in Sochi on the situation in Syria. As a result, they reaffirmed their commitment to Syria’s unity and territorial integrity, ensuring Turkey’s national security and expressed support for the Adana agreement.
Following the talks, a ten-point memorandum of understanding was signed. In particular, it reads that starting from 12:00 (GMT +3) on Oct. 23, units of the Russian military police and the Syrian border service are entering the Syrian side of the border with Turkey (outside the Operation Peace Spring zone).
They will facilitate the withdrawal of YPG/PYD units 30 kilometers away from the border, and the withdrawal should be completed within 150 hours.
Time allotted for the cessation of hostilities during the Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria expired at 12:00 (GMT+3) on Oct. 23.
On Oct. 17, Ankara agreed with Washington to suspend the Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria for 120 hours, so that during this time the YPG/PYD detachments would leave northern Syria.
On Oct. 9, Erdogan announced the beginning of a new military operation in Syria, called Peace Spring.
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