Turkey reiterates threatening Syria’s northeast
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Launching a ground military operation in Syria is “possible at any time depending on the perceived threat level,” senior Turkish official said on Saturday.
Turkey would continue to support the political process which agreed upon in December 2022 at the meeting between the defense ministers of Russia, Turkey and Syria in Moscow, said Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman and foreign policy adviser for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On Nov. 20, 2022, the Turkish forces have launched a wide-scale ground and air bombardment against areas of North and East Syria, targeting infrastructure, civilians, and military personnel. They are still threatening of going ahead in the operation.
Kalin added, “We want security at our borders,” in references to the presence of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria.
Kalin noted to the possibility of holding a new meeting between the defense ministers of Turkey and Syria before the scheduled meeting of the foreign ministers of the two countries in mid-February.
While on Saturday and during a meeting with Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs in Damascus, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that Syria would not go forward in dialogue with Turkey unless the latter end its “occupation and support for terrorist organizations.”