Paris Has No Plans to Conduct New Special Operation in Northern Syria

PARIS (Sputnik) - France does not plan to conduct a new counter-terrorist operation in northern Syria, a representative of the country’s Foreign Ministry said Friday.

"France remains involved in the joint fight [against terrorism] and does not plan to conduct a new operation in northern Syria, except the one conducted by the international coalition against Daesh*," the representative told a briefing.

The French diplomat stressed that France is working to stabilize the areas in northern Syria that had been liberated from Daesh.

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron met with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) delegation and announced support of Paris, in particular, for stabilization of the situation in the northeast of Syria. The French president also expressed hope for a dialogue between Turkey and SDF mediated by France and the international community.

Earlier in the day, Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office, said that Ankara does not accept Macron’s proposal on a dialogue with SDF and possible mediation of France.

*Daesh, also known as the Islamic State, ISIS, IS and ISIL is a terrorist group outlawed in Russia