The Turkish military is clearing the area in northeastern Syria where fighting as part of Operation Peace Spring took place of mines following the announcement of a temporary ceasefire agreement, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Friday
ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) The Turkish military is clearing the area in northeastern Syria where fighting as part of Operation Peace Spring took place of mines following the announcement of a temporary ceasefire agreement, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Friday.On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US Vice President Mike Pence reached an agreement to implement a 120-hour ceasefire in northeast Syria to allow the withdrawal of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) from the Turkish border area.
"In northern Syria, where Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring, our special forces continue to clear the area of mines and improvised bombs placed by the PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] terrorists as they threaten military as well as civilians," the ministry said.
Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria on October 9 with the aim of targeting the PKK and the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia). The Syrian authorities have condemned Turkey's occupation policy, while Russia, Syria's key ally, has warned that Turkey should avoid actions that could hamper the ongoing Syrian peace process.
