Alwaght- The Syrian government has reiterated its demand for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the “Turkish occupation troops” from its territory terming their presence a blatant violation of international law.
An official source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that Turkish officials have recently made statements about the end of the “security threat” posed by the presence of militants in Afrin. The sources noted that the alleged threat was used by the Turkish government to justify its aggression on the Syrian city of Afrin, with these officials saying that upon the end of this alleged threat they will withdraw their forces from Syrian territory, Syria’s state-run news agency, SANA, reported.
“If we take seriously for once the statements of the Turkish regime’s officials which are deceptive and lack any credibility, the question that poses itself is: if the alleged security threat is gone, what is the Justice and Development Party government waiting for to withdraw its invading forces from Syria” the statement published by SANA red, asserting that the presence of these forces is a blatant violation of international law.
The statement concluded by saying that Syria reiterates its demand for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Turkish occupation forces from Syrian territory, and demands that the international community to act to put an end to this aggression that caused destruction and bloodshed and displaced thousands from Afrin.
Turkish forces and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) militant group started a military operation into Syria’s Afrin region in late January to remove a US-backed Kurdish militia - known as the People's Protection Units (YPG) - near its border. The Turkish government regards the YPG as a Syrian offshoot of the PKK, which has been fighting for an autonomous region inside Turkey since 1984.
Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his troops and their militant allies have entered the Syrian city of Afrin and taken control of its center after Kurdish militia pulled out.
Turkey has threatened to expand its operation as far as the nearby city of Manbij, where American forces are stationed.
