Saudi FM: We support Turkey’s operation

ANKARA

AP photo

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Sept. 9 that his country supports Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria.

“We support what Turkey is doing nowadays in Syria, I do believe that the aims of Turkey and Saudi Arabia in the region are almost the same,” Al-Jubeir told a panel on Turkish-Saudi relations held at the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) think-tank in Turkey’s capital Ankara.

“We stand with any move that helps to eliminate the Daesh [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL] terrorist organization from Syria, and anywhere else in the region,” he added.

Military-backed operation Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield began on Aug. 24 when the Free Syrian Army (FSA), backed by the Turkish military, liberated Jarablus in northern Syria. Al-Jubeir said that Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been partners and allies for decades.

“We have very strong economic ties, investment ties, and person-to-person ties,” he stated.

“Today we are working very closely on the Syrian crisis and we support the moderate opposition there. We are working very closely towards pushing  back sectarianism and sectarian policies in the region,” he added.