Russia warns Turkey against military operation in Syria — RT Russia and the former Soviet Union
Ankara should try to refrain from using “excessive” force in its military strikes on targets in Syria to prevent a further escalation of the situation, a senior Russian official said on Tuesday.
Alexander Lavrentyev, the Russian President’s special envoy for Syria, asked Türkiye to “show restraint in order to avoid an escalation of tensions, not only in the northern and northeastern regions of Syria, but throughout the territory”, according to the RIA news agency.
He stressed the importance of finding a peaceful solution to the “Kurdish problem” and said Russia was willing to work with all interested parties. “We hope to convince our Turkish partners to refrain from using excessive force on Syrian territory,” he added. he added.
The Russian envoy also noted that the “illegal” The presence of American troops in Syria significantly hampered stability in the region. He suggested that if Washington’s military contingent were to withdraw from the northeast of the country, that would help calm the situation.
Laverentyev’s comments came after Turkish warplanes carried out a series of strikes on Sunday destroying 89 targets in Syria and Iraq, believed to be linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the YPG. Ankara regards these groups as terrorist organizations and blames them for the November 13 bomb attack in Istanbul, which claimed the lives of six people and injured 81 others.
On Monday, the Turkish military announced that its artillery would also join the so-called “Operation Claw-Sword” after Kurdish militants reportedly shelled the town of Karkamis in southeastern Turkey, killing three civilians. On Sunday, a Turkish border checkpoint in the southeastern province of Kilis also reportedly came under rocket artillery fire, wounding eight members of the Turkish security forces.
Türkiye claims to have “neutralized” some 184 “The Terrorists” so far. The Kurdish Information Center in Rojava reported 11 dead and nine injured civilians, as well as three Kurdish fighters and “heavy losses” in the Syrian Arab Army.
Aram Hanna, spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), accused Türkiye of “war crimes” and said his air force had carried out “tap twice” strikes, targeting relief workers arriving at the site of the initial attack.
While Ankara’s operation has yet to see Turkish troops cross Syrian or Iraqi borders, Erdogan said “Claw-Sword” will not be limited to mere airstrikes.
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