Russian official says Turkey has yet made its final decision to attack northern Syria

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Special Russian Presidential Representative for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev said at a press conference on Thursday that Turkey has not yet made its final decision to launch a military operation in Syria.

 “We called on Turkey and urge it to refrain from such military actions on Syrian soil,” he said.

On May 23 Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara would soon launch new military operations along its southern borders to create 30-km deep safe zones to combat terrorist threats from these regions.

 Lavrentiev explained that they told Turkey that this might further escalate the situation and, Moscow still sees opportunities to find other solutions to ongoing problems.

 “Moscow believes that the military operation would not resolve the Turkish national security. It can be resolved only if the Syrian government forces take full control of the borders of the territories,” he added.

On June 3, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed concern over Turkey’s new potential military operation in northern Syria, noting to the possibility of deploying Syrian security forces on the border between the two countries.