Turkey Urges US-Led Coalition to Boost Support of Ankara's Syria Operation

Following the meeting of Chief of the Turkish General Staff Hulusi Akar with his American counterpart Joseph Dunford, the Turkish side called on the US-led coalition to boost support for Ankara's operation in Syria.

ANKARA (Sputnik) – The US-led international coalition should increase support of Ankara's Euphrates Shield Operation in northern Syria, Akar said Friday, as quoted in the General Staff statement, obtained by Sputnik.

"Gen. Akar has announced importance of increasing support [of the Euphrates Shield Operation] provided by the coalition," the statement said in the follow-up to the meeting between Akar and his US counterpart Joseph Dunford held at Turkey's Incirlik Air Base.

Akar has also informed Dunford on the progress in liberating the northern Syrian city of Al Bab from Daesh (outlawed in Russia and many other states) militants, the statement said, specifying that the Turkish forces have already taken control over most part of the city.

The sides discussed the fight against terrorism in Syria and Iraq and noted the unity of views on the issue, the statement added.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on February 8 that the Turkish troops would target Raqqa, a stronghold of the Daesh terrorist group, after the liberation of Al Bab as part of the Euphrates Shield operation launched in August and aimed at combating the Daesh militants.

Turkey intervened in northern Syria by launching Operation Euphrates Shield, aimed at combating Daesh, outlawed in Russia and many other countries, in late August 2016. Since then the Turkish-led forces have driven Daesh from a number of settlements in northern Syria, such as Jarabulus. On August 28, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara would continue the operation in northern Syria until the PYD threat was eliminated.

The Operation Euphrates Shield has been widely criticized by Damascus and the Kurds as violating Syrian sovereignty.