However, Yildirim told foreign media representatives on Saturday that Assad has no place in Syria’s future.
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Commenting on news reports that Russian Federation wanted to use Incirlik air base in southern Turkey for air raids on IS jihadists in Syria, Yildirim said Moscow did not make such a demand but said “if necessary Incirlik can be used”. “Those reports are not true”, Yildirim told foreign correspondents in Istanbul on August 20, adding that it Russiawants to use the base to hit the Daesh targets in Syria, it can do so.
“We believe that the PKK, Daesh and Assad should not be in the future of Syria”, he added, referring to the Syrian Kurds and the Islamic State group in the war-torn country.
“Turkey had already softened its position and was ready for a political transition in which Assad would go at the end of the process”, he said, adding that apart from this issue, Ankara is calling for a new constitution in Syria and fair elections under United Nations auspices.
He noted that after the formation of a transition government in Syria, Assad must leave his post.
The base, located some 100 kilometers from the Syrian border, is now being used by the US-led coalition against the Islamic State to launch airstrikes against the jihadist group in neighboring Iraq and Syria. “Certainly not”, Yildirim said. On one hand it talks about the possibility of Bashar al-Assad retaining a position in this so-called transition period.
Analysts say recent YPG gains against Islamic State in northern Syria, close to the border, have made Turkey’s concerns about the group more acute.
I think the Turkish government is trying to resolve internal differences that they have, probably a case that some people in the government are looking toward an accommodation with Bashar al-Assad while others are deeply embedded in the US.
“Turkey we will be more active in the Syria issue in the coming six months as a regional player. Therefore, as Turkey, we will work more because the instability there pains us”.
The rebels, Turkish-backed groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), are expected to assault Jarablus from inside Turkey in the next few days, said the rebel official, who is familiar with the plans but declined to be identified.
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“This is a new situation”. Lebanese-based Al Mayadeen channel reports that dozens of military vehicles already have crossed from Turkey into Syria.
