Ankara to strengthen efforts for northern Syria safe zone

Ankara will further strengthen its efforts to create a safe zone in northern Syria, said the country’s National Security Council on Monday.

“Turkey will further strengthen its sincere efforts to realize the safe zone project,” the council, chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said in a statement following the meeting at the presidential complex in Ankara.

The statement stressed that Ankara considers it as a humanitarian issue and the project will allow Syrians' safe return to their homes.

On August 7, Turkish and US military officials agreed to set up a safe zone in northern Syria and develop a peace corridor to facilitate the movement of displaced Syrians who want to return home. 

The two NATO allies also agreed to establish a joint operations centre.

The agreement also envisaged setting up necessary security measures to address Turkey's security concerns, including clearing the zone of YPG/PYD terror group.

While Washington considers YPG a strong ally in the fight against Daesh, Turkey classes YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, as a terrorist organisation. 

The PKK has waged a three-decade terror campaign against the Turkish state, leading to tens of thousands of deaths and both Turkey and the US have designated the PKK as a terrorist organisation. 

The council also confirmed that anti-terror operations launched in northern Iraq will continue until the region is cleared of the terrorists for the safety of both countries.

On May 27, Ankara launched Operation Claw against the PKK terror group in the Hakurk region of northern Iraq, followed by the operation's second and third phases in July and late August.

The council also stated that Turkey is determined to continue activities in Eastern Mediterranean within the framework of its continental shelf -- which is registered with the United Nations -- and agreements with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Turkey has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration’s unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the TRNC also has similar rights to the resources in the area.

Ankara has sent two drilling vessels -- Fatih and Yavuz -- to Eastern Mediterranean to carry out exploration and research and has vowed to continue to defend the rights and interests of Turkey and the TRNC in the region.