MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Ankara announced on early Wednesday that Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, had begun a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield to clear the Syrian border town of Jarabulus of militants from the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. The Syrian Kurds and Damascus accused Ankara of violating the territorial integrity of the Arab republic.
"This is essential for our national security… But the steps we have taken for our national security are at the same time essential for the security of the EU and world," Celik was quoted as saying by Yeni Safak newspaper, as he spoke at a joint press conference with his German counterpart Michael Roth.
"We cannot allow any terrorist organizations to control the other side of the Turkish border," Celik said.
On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and US Vice President Joe Biden said they reached an agreement that PYD forces and the affiliated People's Protection Units (YPG) must not move west of the Euphrates river. Biden added that the Kurdish forces would no longer receive US support if they failed to return to the eastern bank of the river.
