Turkish Actions in Syria, Iraq Prove Erdogan’s Imperial Ambition

Turkey’s calls to impose a "safe zone" in northern Syria and its military deployment to Iraq are a cover-up of Ankara’s plan to regain the territories lost after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, a Syrian opposition member told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — Earlier this week, Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Jaafari accused President Tayyip Erdogan of trying to revive the Ottoman colonial legacy, in a letter to the United Nations.

"Turkey for long has been insisting on the creation of ‘safe zones’ in northern Syria. Besides, Turkey has entered Iraq that may be considered as evidences for Erdogan’s plan," Samir Aita, of the Syrian Democratic Forum, said.

Turkey has been attacking Kurdish militias in northern Syria and Iraq, despite Kurds being considered a key ally by Washington in the fight against the Islamic State (IS or Daesh).

In early December, Turkish troops trespassed into northern Iraq allegedly to train anti-IS Iraqi militia, prompting outrage in Baghdad. The Iraqi foreign minister warned Ankara on Wednesday that his country felt free to defend itself militarily against the Turkish invasion.