President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told the president of Russia Vladimir Putin that the Kremlin should “cleanse” Kurdish forces from northern Syria.
The news agency reports it AFP extensionOn Monday (12/12/2022), Erdogan threatened to launch a ground attack in the region Syria north to expel Kurdish forces, which he blames for a bomb blast that killed six people in the city of Istanbul last November.
In early 2019, an agreement was reached between Moscow and Ankara to end the attacks by establishing a 30-kilometre (19-mile) “safe zone” to protect Turks from cross-border attacks from Syrian territory.
Erdogan accused Russia – a key player in the Syrian conflict who backs President Bashar al-Assad – of failing to go through with the deal.
Erdogan told Putin by telephone on Sunday (12/12) local time, that “it is necessary to clear (the Kurdish fighters) from the border in the territory of at least 30 kilometers,” the Turkish presidency said.
This was added by the presidential office of Turkey Erdoğan he stated it was a “priority”.
Part of the troop Kurdish stationed in areas under Russian military control. Other Kurdish forces have fought alongside the US military against members of the Islamic State group.
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