Turkey’s possible operation in north and east Syria have united the international community in their objections. The US Department of State, UN representatives and the Russian Foreign Ministry have issued statements against Turkey’s operations.
The security threat can only be solved by deployment of Syrian troops in the areas Turkey considers problematic, Russia said.
Moscow hopes that Ankara will avoid actions that could dangerously worsen the already difficult situation in Syria, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
“Such a step without the consent of the legitimate government of the Syrian Arab Republic will be a direct violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will lead to a further increase in tension in Syria,” Zakharova said.
On 2 June, UN spokesman and Washington’s permanent representative to the UN also called on all parties to respect Syria’s territorial integrity and settlements during the Turkey visit to examine the cross-border mechanism that the UN helped establish.
“We invite all parties to show maximum restraint. In northern Syria, a ceasefire was agreed between the various parties in October 2019 and then since 2020. We are very committed to the importance of this ceasefire. We hope this situation will continue,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at the press conference.
“We have declared our opposition to Turkey’s possible operation in Syria,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States permanent representative to the UN, said at the same press conference. “We are in contact with the Turkish government. The ceasefire lines must not be violated. If this happens, the suffering will increase, the number of displaced people will increase and the number of people crossing the border will increase.”
On 1 June, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had warned Turkey that its plans to launch a military operation in northern Syria would put the region at risk.
The active fight against ISIS continues in Syria, and Turkey’s possible operations could jeopardize the efforts against ISIS, Blinken had said.
