Moscow Notes Ankara's Assurances On Turkey Fighting Terrorism In Afrin - Foreign Ministry

Moscow Notes Ankara's Assurances on Turkey Fighting Terrorism in Afrin - Foreign Ministry

Moscow has taken into account Ankara's assurances that its forces' actions around Syria's border city of Afrin have been focused on fighting terrorism, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin told Sputnik in an interview.

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th October, 2018) Moscow has taken into account Ankara's assurances that its forces' actions around Syria's border city of Afrin have been focused on fighting terrorism, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin told Sputnik in an interview.

"We treated statements made by Turkey when they were operating on the territory [of Afrin] very seriously. We have noted that the Turks came there to fight terrorism and guarantee their national security. We respect that," Vershinin said.

However, as Moscow has stated many times both during bilateral talks with Turkey and in the Astana format, Russia strongly supports Syria's independence and territorial integrity, the official added.

On January 20, Turkey, together with the Free Syrian Army opposition forces, launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin. The goal of the operation has been to "clear" the Turkey's Syrian border from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and the PYD (Democratic Union Party), which Turkey believes to be linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.

Damascus has condemned Ankara's military operations, saying they violate Syrian sovereignty.