EU Slams Turkey's Threat to Send Millions of Syrian Refugees to Europe as Unacceptable

BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th October, 2019) The European Union sees Ankara's threats to send millions of Syrian refugees to Europe as inadmissible, a high-ranking source in EU institutions told reporters on Friday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that his country would "open the door" and send over 3 million Syrian refugees that it currently shelters to Europe, if Ankara's offensive in Syria's north was qualified as invasion.

"To use this issue is absolutely unacceptable," the source said.

The EU has agreed to provide 6 billion Euros ($6.6 billion) to Turkey for supporting refugees staying there, and Turkey has already received a significant amount of money, the source recalled.

"Our message to Turkey is very clear, to stop unilateral military action in Syria. We are very much afraid that this could undermine political process, may cause a new refugee flow," the source specified.

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in Syria's north on Wednesday, targeting the predominantly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia). Ankara sees the SDF as affiliated with the Kurdistan Worker's Party, which is designated as a terrorist organization in Turkey.