Russia has always seen military operations in Syria as inadmissible, as it believes that security of the Turkish-Syrian border should be ensured by Damascus forces, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said on Tuesday amid Ankara's offensive
ABU DHABI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th October, 2019) Russia has always seen military operations in Syria as inadmissible, as it believes that security of the Turkish-Syrian border should be ensured by Damascus forces, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said on Tuesday amid Ankara's offensive.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on October 9 to clear its border area of Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia) and Kurdish militia from the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the Kurdish People's Protection Units, whom Ankara designates as a single terrorist organization.
"We have never voiced in favor of and have never supported the idea of deploying [any forces] there, including Turkish units, let alone Syrian armed opposition," Lavrentyev told reporters, stressing that border safety should be guaranteed by Syrian governmental troops only.
The special envoy also refuted claims that Turkey had secured Russia's consent for the offensive.
"No. We have always called on Turkey to show restraint, we have always thought that any military operation on Syria's territory is inadmissible," Lavrentyev added.
He went on to say that the offensive could "upset the fragile interconfessional balance" in Syria's north, populated by Kurds and Arabs.
