Contents tagged with Olive Branch operation

  • Pentagon: US may stop supporting Kurds in Syria

    Pentagon spokesperson Adrian Rankine-Galloway told Turkish news agency Anadolu in an interview that the US will stop supporting the Syrian Kurds’ People’s Protection Units (YPG) if they attempt a military operation in the Afrin region, instead of fighting the Islamic State.

    “We are only training and supporting forces who are fighting ISIS. The Pentagon does not give orders to the forces that are active on the ground. If there is an attempt at a military operation not directed against ISIS, …

  • Erdogan: Turkey has an agreement with Russia concerning Kurdish-held Canton of Afrin

    Turkey does not intend to desist from carrying out operation “Olive Branch” in the Syrian region of Afrin, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as reported by the local newspaper Yeni Safak. According to Erdogan, Turkey also has a certain agreement with Russia in this regard.

    “Turkey does not intend to back down from the operation in Afrin, and has an agreement with Russia,” Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara.

    However, he emphasized that Turkey does lay claim to Afrin territory.

    “ …

  • Turkish Prime Minister: Russia did not object to our operation in Syria

    Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim confirmed the beginning of the ground operation in Syria. Ankara said the goal is the creation of a security zone on the Turkish-Syrian border.

    The politician promised that “anyone who provides military support to Kurdish forces in Afrin, including the United States, will be targeted by the Turkish armed forces.”

    He also said that the operation will include four stages, as reported by NTV television channel. First, a 30-kilometer “safe zone” will be …