Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades condemned on Thursday the Turkish military operation in northern Syria, calling it arbitrary and unjustified
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2019) Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades condemned on Thursday the Turkish military operation in northern Syria, calling it arbitrary and unjustified.The Turkish offensive against Kurdish militia in northern Syria began on Wednesday and is part of Ankara's long-standing goal to clear its border area of both Kurdish units and the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia). Ankara believes that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces controlling the area are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey.
"[The Turkish operation is] another unacceptable and arbitrary activity of Turkey, which is being condemned, at least by our own family, the EU, and I do not think that it is justified in any way," Anastasiades said, as quoted by the Cyprus news Agency.
Turkey's offensive has been slammed by Damascus, which views it as a violation of Syria's territorial integrity. This sentiment has since been echoed by Russia, and a number of Arab and Western nations.
Cyprus has not only showed solidarity with the consolidated EU position on the Turkish operation in northern Syria, but also demonstrated its traditionally negative attitude to Turkey, shaped by the Northern Cyprus issue.
