Lebanon Urges Turkey To Rethink Military Operation In North Syria - Foreign Ministry

BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2019) The Lebanese Foreign Ministry called on Turkey to reconsider its decision to launch a military operation in northeastern Syria, calling it an act of aggression that will lead to death and displacement among the local population, according to a communique obtained by Sputnik on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria against Kurdish groups and the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia). Later, Turkey conducted airstrikes on the city of Ras al-Ain in Al Hasakah province. The Kurdish forces shot at several Turkish cities near the Syrian border in response.

"The Foreign Ministry calls on the Turkish command to reconsider its decision and cooperate with the countries involved [in the conflict] to bring back stability to Syria and observe the international law with a commitment to Syria's territorial integrity," the ministry said.

It added that Lebanon considered Turkey's actions to be an attack against a friendly Arab state, which will cause death and forced resettlement of the local population.

While the United States backed Kurdish forces in Syria as allies in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia), Turkey considers them to be an arm of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkey has classified the PKK as a terrorist organization.

Ankara claims that the operation aimed at clearing the border area of Kurdish militias, creating a security zone and accommodating Syrian refugees there.