ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2019) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that he had shared with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, satisfaction with the steps made on creating the safe zone in northern Syria.
On Thursday, the United States and Turkey reached an agreement to implement a 120-hour ceasefire in northeast Syria to allow the withdrawal of the Kurdish People's Protection Units' (YPG) forces from the 30-kilometer (over 18 miles) safe zone in northern Syria. All military operations under Turkey's Peace Spring will be paused and the operation will be halted entirely on completion of the withdrawal.
"During the phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, we exchanged opinions about the bilateral issues as well as the safe zone, which is going to be created east of the Euphrates. I shared my satisfaction with the mutual steps, made by us to boost the Turkish-US relations, which are based on the deeply rooted foundations. I wish to continue our joint efforts to restore peace, prosperity and stability in our region, primarily, in the safe zone in northern Syria," Erdogan wrote on his Twitter page.
Turkey launched the Operation Peace Spring on October 9, saying that the military action aimed to create the safe zone near the Syrian-Turkish border after multiple fruitless discussions between Washington and Ankara. The territory on the Syrian side of the border is currently controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which Ankara regards as affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (banned in Turkey).
The Syrian government has condemned the Turkish offensive in northern Syria as an act of aggression, while Russia, as well as a number of Arab and Western nations, including the United States, voiced concern over the developments.
