France, Britain, Germany to condemn Turkish offensive in Syria
OCTOBER 9, 2019 / 11:26 PM /
PARIS (Reuters) - France, Britain and Germany are set to issue a statement strongly condemning Turkey’s offensive in northeastern Syria, France’s European affairs minister said on Wednesday.
Turkey launched a military operation against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria on Wednesday just days after U.S. troops pulled back from the area, with air strikes and artillery hitting YPG militia positions around the border town of Ras al Ain.
The move comes after a U.S. decision to withdraw from the region leaving Turkey to launch an offensive against Kurdish militants and rattling allies, including France, one of Washington’s main partners in the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State.
“France, Germany and Britain are finalizing a joint statement that will be extremely clear on the fact that we condemn very strongly and firmly what has been reported,” Amelie de Montchalin told parliament’s foreign affairs committee answering a question on the Turkish offensive.
Capitals were still deciding at what level the statement would be issued, a diplomatic source said.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...demn-turkish-offensive-in-syria-idUSKBN1WO1ZS
Putin Cautions Erdogan on Syria Incursion as Turkey Sends Troops
By
Henry Meyer
2019年10月9日 GMT+8 下午9:32
Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned Recep Tayyip Erdogan against undermining peace efforts as the Turkish military began an incursion across the border into Syria against Kurdish forces.
“In the light of Turkey’s announced plans to carry out a military operation in the northeast of Syria, Vladimir Putin urged our Turkish partners to carefully weigh the situation so as not to damage our joint efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis,” the Kremlin said in an emailed statement on a call between the two leaders Wednesday.
The presidents stressed “the importance of guaranteeing the unity and territorial integrity of Syria and respect for its sovereignty,” the Kremlin statement said.
The first Turkish troops crossed Wednesday into northeast Syria in preparation for a full-scale offensive to force back Kurdish militias controlling the border area, a Turkish official said, days after President Donald Trump said the U.S. wouldn’t stand in the way.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...byad-targets-as-operation-begins-syria-update