‘Targeting terrorist formations’

I am writing to you regarding the article titled “Pre-war Syria remains Syria: pluralistic, multi-ethnic and secular” (The Jordan Times, June 7, 2018) which includes some biased analysis. Regrettably, and yet again, the arguments and the terminology used by Michael Jansen against Turkey in the article are far from being objective.

Turkey fully respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all its neighbours. Turkey has no intention of “occupying” or “invading” Syria, or any other country.

As it has been mentioned repeatedly by the Turkish political leadership, the objective of “Operation Olive Branch” was to ensure our border security, neutralise terrorists in the Afrin region and stop the intimidation of the brotherly Syrians by the terrorist PYD-YPG. The operation does not target the “Kurdish population” but the terrorist formations. It is being conducted on the basis of international law, in accordance with our right to self-defence as outlined in Article 51 of the UN Charter and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

It should be recalled that Turkish military posts and bases in the region and the military observation posts in Idlib were targeted from Afrin with almost 700 harassment fires and attacks before the operation.

The SDF, the backbone of which is composed of PYD-YPG elements who are representing the Syrian branch of the notorious terrorist organisation PKK, poses a direct threat to Turkey’s national security, as well as Syria’s territorial integrity. Naturally, Turkey will not tolerate any terrorist organisation near its borders, which acts definitely against the will of the Syrian people. The operation will be terminated when all terrorist elements are wiped out of the region.

Murat Yagish

Third Secretary at the Turkish embassy in Amman