No more invasion in Syria as Kurds leave border: Turkey

ISTANBUL: Turkey’s defence ministry has said that no need to restart its invasion against Kurdish fighters in Syria as its forces have been withdrawn from the border.

The defence ministry on Wednesday stated that there was no need to restart its invasion against the Kurdish fighters in Syria.

According to ministry, the US informed about Kurdish fighters’ that its forces have been withdrawn from the border areas.

The defence ministry said in a statement, “At this stage, there is no further need to carry out a new operation.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a phone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday, also confirmed that US military officials informed their Turkish counterparts Kurdish forces withdrew from the safe zone.

Also read: Turkey defiant on Syria operation as US demands ceasefire

A US-brokered deal had set a 120-hour deadline for Kurdish fighters withdrawal from an aimed safe zone, which expired on Tuesday.

Turkey on 9th October agreed to halt its military operation in Syria launched on the condition that Kurdish forces withdrew from an initial 120-kilometre area from the border, following a deal with US Vice President Mike Pense last Thursday.

Earlier President Erdogan rejected a letter received from the US President Donald Trump warning him against a major military campaign in Syria.

In the written to Turkish President, Trump wrote, “Let’s work out a good deal. You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy and I will.”

Trump said, “History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don’t happen.”

Trump finished the letter by saying, “Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool. I will call you later.”

In the Turkish military operation, dozens of civilians were killed, mostly on the Kurdish side, and prompted at least 160,000 to flee their homes.