Ankara will begin a new operation in Syria against Kurdish forces if they remain in the 30-kilometer security zone agreed with the Russian border with Turkey, Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan said.
“We agreed with the Russian Federation, but if after 150 hours the terrorists remain in the agreed zone, then we will continue to do what we should, we will take control of the zone and clean them. We will not sit down at the negotiating table with the terrorists”, – Erdogan said, speaking in the Stambul. Broadcast was conducted by NTV.
Earlier, the Russian Federation and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding of 10 points, in particular, on the introduction of units of the Russian military police and the Syrian border service on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey outside the Turkish Source of Peace zone. They will facilitate the withdrawal of Kurdish troops and their weapons 30 kilometers from the Syrian-Turkish border, which should be completed within 150 hours. From this moment, a joint Russian-Turkish patrol will begin to a depth of 10 kilometers from the border to the west and east of the Turkish operation area, except for the city of Kamyshly.