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Turkey says ready to join anti-ISIL ground operation with Saudi Arabia in Syria
February 13, 2016, Saturday/ 12:33:24/ TODAYSZAMAN.COM | ISTANBUL
Turkey and Saudi Arabia support a ground operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said.
In remarks published on Saturday, Çavuşoğlu also said that Riyadh is set to deploy warplanes at an air base in southern Turkey and is ready to send troops as well.
“Turkey and Saudi Arabia have been in favor of a ground operation in the fight against Daesh. We have been saying in all meetings of the [US-led anti-ISIL] coalition that there should be a comprehensive strategy. We have said if such a strategy is put in place, we, as Turkey and Saudi Arabia, can join a ground offensive,” Çavuşoğlu told pro-government Yeni Şafak newspaper, referring to ISIL with an Arabic acronym.
“Saudi Arabia is now sending planes to Turkey, to İncirlik [air base]. They have come and inspected the bases. How many planes will be coming is not known yet. They said they could send troops as well if necessary,” Çavuşoğlu said, adding that it attests Saudi Arabia's determined stance to fight against terrorism in Syria.
According to the foreign minister, if ISIL is eliminated through an extensive campaign including a ground offensive, then the world will not be forced to choose the “lesser evil,” between ISIL and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Asked if Saudi troops can enter Syria from Turkey, he said: “This is a wish. It is not something that has been planned. Saudi Arabia is sending planes and says it can send troops for a ground operation as well.”
Saudi Arabia said earlier this month that it was ready to send ground troops to Syria to fight ISIL if coalition leaders agree on it.
Çavuşoğlu's remarks came amid suggestions that Turkey might be preparing for an incursion into Syria as an offensive by Syrian forces, backed by Russian air strikes, has reversed opposition gains on the ground and encircled rebels inside Aleppo. Asked whether Turkey will take action to reopen a strategic land corridor between Turkey and rebels in Aleppo, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said, “Wait for the next few days and you will have the answer.” His remarks were published on Friday.
On Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey's patience may run out over the crisis in Syria and it could be forced to take action.
Çavuşoğlu slammed the Russian air strikes, saying a mere 12 percent of them target ISIL while the remaining 88 percent are against the opposition, and criticized Turkey's Western partners for not sufficiently speaking out against the Russian actions.
“The main question is this: Who is going to stop Russia? Is it the UN? Is it NATO? Or is the US going to convince [Russia]?” he said.
‘Serious cooperation'
The foreign minister said Turkey and Saudi Arabia had a “serious cooperation” in military and defense industry areas.
“We are on the same page regarding Syria. We have supported the initiative proposed by Saudi Arabia to form an anti-terror coalition, to create a military force to fight terrorism. This will include intelligence, troops and other elements,” he said.
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