Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Monday (May 23) to launch a new military operation in Syria to secure Turkey’s southern border. Speaking following a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan said the aim of the operation would be resume Turkish efforts to create a 30-kilometer (20 mile) safe zone along its border with Syria.
“We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30-km deep safe zone we established along our southern border,” Erdogan said. The Turkish president did not provide further details but said the operation would begin after Turkey’s military, intelligence and security forces complete their preparations.
Erdogan’s comments come at a time when Turkey is objecting to Sweden and Finland’s membership in the NATO alliance, citing the two countries alleged support for the PKK and other groups that Turkey views as terrorists, as well as their decision to impose restrictions on military sales to Turkey following Ankara’s incursion into Syria in 2019… Read more