The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, like Islamic State, seeks to divide Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, adding that the country’s territorial integrity must be preserved.
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Davutoglu on Thursday said if Turkey’s security was concerned, “we do not get permission from anyone, we do not ask anyone but we do what’s required”.
“The ceasefire is not binding for us when there is a situation that threatens Turkey’s security, we will take necessary measures against both the YPG and Daesh when we feel the need to”, Davutoglu said in comments broadcast live on CNN Turk. The elusive cease-fire deal was reached only after a monthslong Russian air campaign that the USA says strengthened Assad’s hand and allowed his forces to retake territory, altering the balance of power in the Syrian civil war.
The Dogan news agency cited army sources as saying Saudi F-15 warplanes would arrive at Incirlik on Friday, and that C-130 cargo planes had been shipping military materials to Incirlik for the last two days.
Turkey’s prime minister says he is concerned that Russian Federation will continue to hit Syrian civilians or the moderate opposition during the upcoming truce agreed on in Syria.
“The YPG is a terrorist organization for us, just like Daesh and al-Nusra”, Davutoglu said, referring to al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch.
Islamic State is not included in a US-Russian plan aimed at bringing about a halt to the fighting in Syria that is due to take effect on Saturday.
The town of Khanaser captured by the army Thursday was seized earlier this week by the Islamic State group, cutting state forces’ access to the provincial capital, also called Aleppo, said the Syrian government and the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group.
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The advance comes ahead of a cease-fire meant to start on midnight Friday.
