Turkey claims having intelligence contact with Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Presidency of the Republic of Turkey said on Sunday there is periodic contact between both Turkish and Syrian intelligences for “national interests,” and that “Turkey does not take permission” to launch operation in Syria.
In a statement to Haber Turk TV, Turkish Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalin said, “There is no political contact with Syria at the moment. Our intelligence units have periodic contacts.”
Haber Turk cited him as saying, “Our intelligence units meet in terms of our national interests. But there is no political meeting beyond that.”
Asked about the delay in launching a potential Turkish operation in northern Syria and if it is related to a Russian-American disapproval, Kalin claimed, “We did not get permission from anyone while we were carrying out these (operations in Syria). We saw the same pressure back then, but we carried out these operations (Euphrates Shield 2016, Olive Branch 2018, and Peace Spring 2019).”
“We may come suddenly one night,” he cited Turkish President as saying.
On May 25, Turkey’s National Security Council said that Turkey’s “existing and future military operations along its southern borders were necessary for the country’s security.” In the meeting, Erdogan delivered a speech to the MPs of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and said, “Turkish military would continue to rid its neighbor of terrorists” refers to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
On June 1, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his threats of launching a military operation on northern Syria, and specified his targets in the two Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat, which include many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Speaking of returning Syrian refugees, he noted, “We are working hard to establish a safe zone in Afrin, Idlib, Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ain (Sere Kaniye).”
On May 23, Erdogan announced taking steps to complete the so-called remained portions of the “safe zone” plan along Turkey’s southern border saying, “We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30 km deep safe zone we established along our southern border.”
The Turkish “safe zone” is an area of 30-35 km (19-22 miles) deep into Syrian territory that Turkey started establishing in 2019 to house Syrian refugees in an area along its border with Syria, as well as to keep it free from the SDF, which it regards as terrorists.
In response to Turkish claims on having contact with Turkey, On April 22, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian government denied the existence of any kind of contact with the Turkish regime.
“This regime [Erdogan’s] is trying, as usual, to publish fabricated news alleging the existence of high-level contacts with the Syrian government at the political or security level,” state-run news agency SANA cited an official source at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates as saying.