Iranian Parliament Speaker Cancels Visit To Turkey Over Ankara's Military Action In Syria

TEHRAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2019) Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani on Wednesday canceled his visit to Turkey following the start of the Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria, state-run IRIB television reported.

Larijani was expected to attend an inter-paliamentary event in Istanbul on invitation by the speaker of Turkey's Grand National Assembly.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced earlier on Wednesday the start of Operation Peace Spring against PKK/YPG and the Islamic State (terrorist organization banned in Russia) in Syria's north "to neutralize terror threats against Turkey and lead to the establishment of a safe zone."

The latest media reports indicate that the Turkish warplanes have so far attacked at least four towns in Hasakah province and two towns in Raqqa province. In addition, Turkish jets hit a power line supplying electricity to the Alluk water management facility, as well as a dam north of Al-Malikiyah.

The SDF press service said in a recent report that at least three Kurdish militia fighters and five civilians were killed, while dozens were injured in shelling of the border areas in Syria by Turkey.