Turkey’s operation in Syria to achieve goal with success of operation in al-Bab, Deputy PM says
ANKARA – Anadolu Agency
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş said on Feb. 10 that Operation Euphrates Shield was an obligatory operation for Turkey to protect its borders. With the success of the al-Bab operation, Euphrates Shield Operation will reach its goal, Kurtulmuş said in an interview with Turkish broadcaster HaberTürk.
“Raqqa is another issue. Raqqa is not something that threatens Turkey’s borders.”
“If you say, ‘Let’s clean Daesh but place there PYD/YPG,’ in Raqqa, this becomes a national security issue for Turkey,” he said.
The Syrian city of Raqqa is the self-proclaimed capital of the terrorist organisation Islamic State Iraq and Levant (ISIL).
Operation Euphrates Shield, which involves Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish forces, was launched in August, 2016.
Since Nov. 2016, the operation has focused on taking Al-Bab, located 19 miles 30 kilometers) south of the Turkish border.
