Türkiye's Cavusoglu meets Syrian opposition officials in Ankara

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has hosted Syrian opposition officials in the capital Ankara for talks.

Cavusoglu met with Salem al-Meslet, president of the National Coalition, Badr Jamous, head of the Negotiations Committee, and Abdulrahman Mustafa, prime minister of the provisional government on Wednesday.

"We appreciate and support the opposition's contribution to the political process within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 2254," Cavusoglu said on Twitter.

On Tuesday, Cavusoglu underlined that steps must be taken for lasting peace in Syria, adding that Syria's Assad regime cannot not see the opposition as terrorists.

"From the very beginning, Türkiye said that the most important process is the political one," he said.

Wednesday marked six years since Türkiye launched its first cross-border operation against terror groups in northern Syria.

In line with Article 51 of the UN Charter, Türkiye launched Operation Euphrates Shield on August 24, 2016, in Al Bab, across its border in northern Syria, against terror groups, particularly the Daesh terror group.

On the first day of the operation, the Jarablus district was liberated from the terror groups. Al Bab was cleared of terrorists on February 23, 2017.

With the operation, settlements located between the two districts, an area of 2,055 square kilometres, were cleared of terrorists in 217 days.

READ MORE: Türkiye getting ready to rid northern Syria of terror elements: Erdogan

Six years since launch of first anti-terror operation

Thanks to the projects launched by Türkiye in the fields of education, health, infrastructure and service, in order to normalise life in the region, the population in these areas reached nearly 2 million.

Türkiye played a key role in the opening of nearly 700 schools that were renovated or rebuilt, enabling around 300,000 students to attend schools in the region.

Meanwhile, Gaziantep University, located in Türkiye’s southeastern Gaziantep province, also carries out higher education activities in the Syrian regions of Jarablus, Al Bab and Azaz.

The Turkish Ministry of Health carries out activities to normalise life in the areas cleared of terrorists, to provide health services needed as part of humanitarian and technical assistance, and to minimise patient referrals from Syria to Türkiye.

In the town of Al Rai, a medical faculty affiliated with the Turkish University of Health Sciences was established.

A total of 280 mosques were restored and 253 new mosques were built in the region as part of the efforts led by Türkiye’s Directorate General of Foundations and Diyanet Foundation.

In order to provide employment and revive the regional economy, industrial estates are also established in the regions liberated during Operation Euphrates Shield.

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