Türkiye is ready to launch military operations in Syria in light of “continued instability” in the neighboring country, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
Ankara has been launching cross-border military operations into Syria since 2016; they include Euphrates Shield (2016-17), Olive Branch (2018) and Operation Peace Spring (2019).
While the areas Türkiye has attacked have predominantly been under the de facto leadership of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), Damascus has condemned the operations as an incursion into its sovereign territory.
Speaking with reporters in Baku on Wednesday, Erdogan made comments about Türkiye’s plans to establish a 30-kilometer-deep security zone inside Syria to bolster efforts against the PYD’s People’s Defense Units (YPG), a militant group affiliated with the Turkish Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Ankara refers to the PYD, YPG, and PKK as terrorists.
The president stated that Ankara has already made progress in this regard and that Turkish military and intelligence services continue to work towards eradicating terrorism in the region.
He added that cross border operations are “always on our agenda for the security of our country and comfort of our people” and that if Türkiye feels threatened, it is prepared to conduct such operations.
Erdogan noted that the security situation in northern Syria remains unstable and that “this creates a suitable environment for the terror organizations that benefit from the chaos there,” which presents a “security risk” for Ankara.
“There are still areas on our border under the control of the terror organizations. It is impossible to feel totally safe without clearing these regions from them,” the Turkish leader said, adding that establishing dialogues with the Syrian leadership on these issues would serve to create a better environment for the region.
“I am still hopeful for [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad. I still have hope to come together [with Assad] and put Türkiye-Syria relationships on track. Because we have to demolish terror structures between Türkiye and Syria. There is a ground for a fair and lasting peace,” Erdogan was quoted as saying.
He recalled that Ankara has already extended its hand to Damascus to normalize relations, and stressed that Türkiye is not trying to threaten Syria’s territorial integrity.
“Terror organizations, namely PKK/PYD/YPG, are threatening [Syria’s territorial integrity],” Erdogan said, calling on Assad to “take steps towards creating a new environment in his country.”
Earlier this year, Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler stressed that Ankara does not need to “ask anyone” for permission to conduct cross-border anti-terrorism operations and has the right to take all the measures it deems necessary to protect its national security.