Sierra Leone News: Turkish Ambassador Clarifies Misconceptions about Military Operation in Syria
By Stephen V. Lansana
The Turkish Ambassador to Sierra Leone, H.E. Ambassador Deha Erpek has said on Monday October 14, 2019, that the military operation of Turkey in Syria is to eliminate terrorist groups along the borders and protect the civilians to ensure national security.
It could be recalled that Turkish Armed Forces launched “Operation Peace Spring” in Syria on October 9, 2019, to wipe out terrorist operation along the borders of Syria and Turkey.
His comment came following misconception in the international media about Turkish operations in Syria.
Ambassador Erpek said, “It is dismaying that Turkey’s military operation in northeastern Syria is being spun in the American news media as an attack on Kurds, as weakening the fight against the remnants of Daesh (or the so-called Islamic State) and hurting America’s credibility with its allies. I am compelled to set the record straight because the 67-year-old NATO alliance that Turkey has with the United States is not temporary, tactical nor transactional.”
“Turkey started the operation to ensure its national security by removing the danger posed by terrorists along its border regions. This operation will liberate Syrians living there from the tyranny of terrorist organizations and eliminate the threat to Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity. These two developments would facilitate the safe and voluntary return of displaced Syrians,” he said.
The Turkish Ambassador said, “Turkey has never accepted a corridor run by a terrorist group on its border. We have repeatedly proposed establishing a safe zone, including at the United Nations General Assembly. We have called on the United States to stop providing material support to terrorists.”
“So far, Turkish Armed Forces has succeeded in just four days in removing the terrorist group 25 Kilometers off its borders,” he said.
“This operation will liberate Syrians living there from the tyranny of terrorist organizations and eliminate the threat to Syria’s territorial integrity and political unity. These two developments would facilitate the safe and voluntary return of displaced Syrians,” Ambassador Erpek said. “It is dismaying that Turkey’s military operation in northeastern Syria is being spun in the International news media as an attack on Kurds, as weakening the fight against the remnants of Daesh (or the so-called Islamic State).
H.E. Erpek explained that there is a misconception on there operations in Syria and they are instructed to clarify it.
Explaining the background of Turkish-Syria issue, H.E. Erpek said that Turkey has been struggling with separatist terrorists, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (P.K.K.) which is recognized as a top terrorist organization for over 40 years, adding that the terrorist organization started in 1970 in the southeastern Syria where Turkish citizens are living. He said that this terrorist group has killed about 40, 000 people. He said that millions of Turkish taxpayers are affected by the operations of this terrorist organization.
“This organisation has several off shots, like in Syria, it is called the People Protection Units, which is the political organization (PYD) and the Democratic Union Party (Y.P.G.), which is the military wing,” he said. “But there is nothing political about the operations.”
He said that Turkey has a border with Syria which is about 600 kilometer, but the border line on Syria side has been captured by this terrorist organization, adding that the terrorists are very closed to the Turkish border which is a threat to national security. “Turkey is now a defacto neighbor to terrorists,” he emphasized. “We have been in contact with USA and Russia for them to fight terrorists along the borders.”
He explained that when the Syria civil war started in 2007, about four million of Syrians flee to Turkey, noting that it posed socioeconomic challenge for the Turkish government. “We want peace in Syria so that the Syrians will return to their country. So, we are doing our best to ensure that there is peace in Syria so that the Syrians refugees in Turkey will return to their country.”
He said that Turkey is now a defacto neighbor to terrorist, adding that they want to create a safe zone in Syria that is why they have launched Operation Peace Spring in Syria.
He said that “In just four days, Turkey Armed Forces has been able to eliminate more than 5000 terrorists off the borders for about 25 kilometer off the Turkish neighbor to create the safe zone. The terrorists are on the run to the south right now.” He said that more than 40 Syria settlements have been liberated in four days.
“Turkey has no intention of occupying the Syrian territory,” he clarified. “This is a fight on terrorism. Our aim is to give the 40 Syria settlements back to them. These settlements were captured by terrorists but they are now liberated. But for the time being, we are going to secure the safe zone.” He emphasized that they are determined to wipe off terrorists along the border line so that they will protect the civilians within the Turkish and Syrian territories, adding that they are compelled to protect the borders because the central government of Syria is not able to provide security along the borders. He disclosed that their action is in the spirit of NATO allies, adding that there is no timeline for the ending of the operation.
“This is not a war against Syria. This is not a war against Turkish people. This is a war against terrorists and this will also help protect the territorial integrity and demographic situation of Syria,” Ambassador said. “This is not a war against any other region, but a war against terrorists that will bring peace in the region.” He added that terrorists’ operations in Syria is affected the economic stability of Turkey because the Syrian refugees are many in Turkey, emphasizing that it is a big burden on the Turkish government because most of the refugees are unemployed.
