Minister: Turkish troops to stay in northern Syria until FSA regains control of area

Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik said yesterday that Turkish troops will continue their military operations in northern Syria until the Free Syrian Army units regain control of the town of Jarablus.

“Our main goal is to clear Jarablus of the Daesh terrorist group militants. The second goal is to prevent Syrian Kurds from taking control of the area after Daesh clear-out,” the minister said in an interview with Turkey’s NTV channel.

“Jarablus is an important point in both a short and long-term perspective. We have to defend our borders by ourselves as Syria does not have an effective government. And we are within our right to stay in the area until the Free Syrian Army regains control over the situation there,” he added.

Eyewitnesses reported that at least nine more Turkish tanks entered Syria yesterday as part of the country’s military operation in the region.