Syria demands immediate pullout of Turkish troops from the country

Turkish army vehicles head to the Syrian border due to ongoing deployment to Idlib’s de-conflict zone on 10 October 2017 [Mustafa Kamacı/Anadolu Agency]

Syria demanded on Saturday that Turkish troops who had entered northwestern Syria leave immediately, saying their presence constituted a “flagrant aggression”.

A Foreign Ministry statement carried on state media said the entry of Turkish military vehicles into rebel-held northwest Syria through the Bab al-Hawa crossing late on Thursday was a violation of international law.

“Syria condemns in the strongest terms the incursion of units of the Turkish army in Idlib province, which constitutes a flagrant aggression against the sovereignty and security of Syrian territory,” the statement said.

Turkey: Troops to stay in Syria until threats are eliminated

Turkey says it is operating alongside Syrian rebel groups to implement a deal reached last month with Russia and Iran in the Kazakh capital Astana to reduce fighting between insurgents.

But Syria’s statement said: “The Turkish aggression is not tied in any way with the understandings that were reached between the guarantor states in the Astana process, but constitutes a violation of these understandings.”

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Syrians gather to support Turkish soldiers’ deployment on Idlib border as they hold Turkish and Syrian flags in Idlib, Syria on October 14, 2017. Syrian demonstrators also call for a day of anger to protest Assad regime forces’ crimes over the country [Abdurrazzak Şekirdy / Anadolu Agency]

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