Erdogan threatens to launch a unilateral military operation in northern Syria

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would launch a unilateral military operation in northern Syria if its forces couldn’t control the safe area.

“We no longer have patience with the establishment of a safe zone in the east of the Euphrates along our border.

Take control of the area within a few weeks”.

He added, “If we don’t begin to establish a safe area east of the Euphrates effectively with our soldiers and conditions within two or three weeks, let the other side think about the consequences”.

He continued, “The problem in the region is not in the Islamic State, but a war of interest for several forces, no one is trying to invoke this organization to pass his projects”.

Regarding the aircraft deal with the United States, Erdogan said: “Washington doesn’t deliver F-35s, and we certainly won’t stand by and watch with our hands on what will happen to us”.

The Turkish president stressed that “if the sale of the US Patriot becomes a tool of pressure on us, we won’t hesitate to choose other systems”.

Regarding the “NATO”, Erdogan stressed, “his country has no intention to give up its membership in NATO or its allies”.

He explained that Turkey “wants to assume a stronger position within NATO, despite the failure of the Alliance on many issues, especially the provision of security for Turkey in the recent period”.

Turkey and the United States are engaged in difficult talks, most recently from July 22 to 24, on the establishment of a “safe zone” in northern Syria, which didn’t result for many months due to differences over its shape, depth and control mechanism, where Ankara seeks to be the sole control Lands.

At the beginning of August, the two sides were able to reach an agreement on the establishment of the Joint Operations Center for the “Safe Zone”, which is expected to be about 30-40 km in length, to announce Turkey on 21 of the same month to launch the first phase of the plan.

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