ANKARA: Türkiye is more determined than ever to secure its Syrian border from attacks by PKK-linked YPG terrorists, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday, insisting that a ground operation would start “at the most convenient time.”
Erdoğan, who was making a speech to his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) lawmakers in Parliament, has signaled a possible ground operation against the YPG forces in Syria after retaliatory strikes escalated along the Syrian border in recent days.
Türkiye’s air operation in northern Iraq and Syria to clear the regions of terrorists is “just the beginning,” Erdoğan said, adding that the country will launch a ground operation in Syria “when convenient.”
“Our operations with planes, cannons and drones are only the beginning. Our determination to secure all our southern border … with a safe zone is stronger today than ever before,” Erdoğan said. “While we press ahead with air raids uninterrupted, we will crack down on terrorists also by land at the most convenient time for us,” he said.
Türkiye has remained faithful to its promises regarding the borders of Syria and has every right to take care of its own problems in northern Syria while others did not fulfill their promises, he said, possibly referring to the previous promises by the United States and Russia in the region.
“If our interlocutors cannot fulfill the requirements of the agreement, we have the right to take care of ourselves.” The president specified northern Syria’s YPG-controlled Tal Rifaat, Manbij and Ain al-Arab (Kobani) regions as possible targets to clear of terrorists. “We have formed part of this corridor (and) will take care of it starting with places such as Tal Rifaat, Manbij and Ain al-Arab, which are the sources of trouble,” he underlined.
The PKK/YPG mostly carries out terrorist attacks in Manbij, Ain al-Arab and the Tal Rifaat district of Aleppo. The terrorist group uses those areas as bases for its attacks. Erdoğan said Türkiye has the power to catch and punish terrorists inside and outside borders who are involved in attacks against the country and the nation.
He added that Iraqi and Syrian administrations should not feel uneasy with the operation since the country’s only aim is to protect the security of its nation, as well as the people of the neighboring countries.
“No one can prevent or stand up against us to draw the security line to the place where it should be, where these attacks on our borders and our citizens continue,” Erdoğan stressed.
Türkiye has made separate agreements with the United States and Russia for the withdrawal of PKK/YPG elements as the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) were carrying out Operation Peace Spring, which began on Oct. 9, 2019, in northern Syria. After pledging the withdrawal of PKK/YPG elements from the 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of the Turkish border in line with agreements, the U.S. and Russia have failed to keep their promises for two and a half years. –Agencies
