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Turkey-Syria offensive: Erdogan vows to press on with 'safe zone' plan | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to press on with an offensive in Syria until his mission to create a "safe zone" is complete. | |
Turkish forces launched an operation to clear Kurdish fighters from northern Syria last week, after US troops allied to them pulled out of the region. | |
The Turkish government views one of the main militias as a terrorist group. | |
Mr Erdogan has also said he will snub direct talks with the US vice-president when he arrives in Turkey. | |
The Turkish president said that Mike Pence and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would only speak to their counterparts and not him directly on Thursday. | |
"When Trump comes here, I'll talk to him," he said. | |
Turkey launched the offensive in northern Syria because they consider the dominant militia in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) an extension of a banned group within Turkey. | |
The SDF alliance on Sunday announced a deal with the Syrian government for help to repel the Turkish assault. | |
What did Mr Erdogan say? | |
In remarks on Wednesday, Mr Erdogan called on "terror organisations" in northern Syria to lay down their arms in order to end Turkey's military operation. | |
"Our offer is that immediately tonight all terrorists should drop their weapons, equipment and everything, destroying their traps and leaving the safe zone we have designated," he told a meeting of his Justice and Development Party's (AKP) parliamentary group. | |
He also rejected calls, apparently from foreign leaders, to enter mediation with the group. | |
The Turkish government insists the People's Protection Units (YPG), which dominate the SDF, are an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - a group which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for decades. | |
Mr Erdogan has maintained the offensive will only end when his planned "safe zone" is cleared of Turkish forces. | |
He wants the area to reach about 20 miles (32km) into Syria "stretching from Manbij to the Iraqi border" where up to two million Syrian refugees in Turkey can be resettled. | |
Critics of the Trump administration say the withdrawal of US troops from the region, shortly after a call with Mr Erdogan, gave Turkey a "green light" for the offensive. | |
The US has repeatedly denied this, and on Monday Washington announced sanctions on Turkish ministries and senior government officials. | The US has repeatedly denied this, and on Monday Washington announced sanctions on Turkish ministries and senior government officials. |
Mr Pence and Mr Pompeo are due to travel to the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Thursday. | |
Mr Pence on Monday warned that the US sanctions against Turkey would worsen "unless and until Turkey embraces an immediate ceasefire" and negotiates a long-term settlement on the border. | Mr Pence on Monday warned that the US sanctions against Turkey would worsen "unless and until Turkey embraces an immediate ceasefire" and negotiates a long-term settlement on the border. |
US President Donald Trump has faced mounting pressure to take action against Turkey - a key Nato partner - including from Republicans usually loyal to his administration. | US President Donald Trump has faced mounting pressure to take action against Turkey - a key Nato partner - including from Republicans usually loyal to his administration. |
But on Tuesday Mr Erdogan maintained Turkey "will never declare a ceasefire" despite US calls. | |
"They are pressuring us to stop the operation. They are announcing sanctions. Our goal is clear. We are not worried about any sanctions," the president added. | |
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also discussed the situation with Mr Erdogan in a phone call, a Kremlin spokesman said on Wednesday. Mr Erdogan had accepted an invitation to visit Russia for a working visit this month, the spokesman added. | |
Russia has vowed it will not allow clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces. | |
What's the latest on the ground? | What's the latest on the ground? |
Dozens of civilians have reportedly been killed in Turkey's operation so far and at least 160,000 have fled the area, according to the UN. | |
The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said it had "taken the difficult decision to suspend the majority of its activities and evacuate all its international staff from north-east Syria". | |
Syrian government forces on Tuesday entered the strategic town of Manbij, inside the area where Turkey wants to create its "safe zone". | Syrian government forces on Tuesday entered the strategic town of Manbij, inside the area where Turkey wants to create its "safe zone". |
Meanwhile, Turkish troops and pro-Turkish, anti-government fighters had also been gathering near Manbij. | Meanwhile, Turkish troops and pro-Turkish, anti-government fighters had also been gathering near Manbij. |
Over the past two years, hundreds of US troops have visibly patrolled the strategic town, but they left earlier this week. | Over the past two years, hundreds of US troops have visibly patrolled the strategic town, but they left earlier this week. |
On Tuesday, Russia - a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - said its forces were patrolling along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces. | On Tuesday, Russia - a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - said its forces were patrolling along the "line of contact" between Syrian and Turkish forces. |
For now, Syrian forces have not been deployed between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, where Turkey has focused its efforts. | For now, Syrian forces have not been deployed between Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain, where Turkey has focused its efforts. |
How did we get here? | How did we get here? |
Kurdish-led forces have been a key ally of the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. | Kurdish-led forces have been a key ally of the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. |
They described the US withdrawal, which preceded Turkish action, as a "stab in the back". | They described the US withdrawal, which preceded Turkish action, as a "stab in the back". |
There are fears the destabilisation could lead to a resurgence of so-called Islamic State (IS), as thousands of former fighters and their relatives are being detained in northern Syria. | There are fears the destabilisation could lead to a resurgence of so-called Islamic State (IS), as thousands of former fighters and their relatives are being detained in northern Syria. |
Hundreds of IS family members are said to have already escaped from one camp. | Hundreds of IS family members are said to have already escaped from one camp. |
Analysts say that apart from fighting IS, the Kurds were fundamental to the US in limiting the influence of rivals Russia and Iran and keeping some leverage on the ground. | Analysts say that apart from fighting IS, the Kurds were fundamental to the US in limiting the influence of rivals Russia and Iran and keeping some leverage on the ground. |