“Operation Peace Spring has foiled multiple schemes simultaneously, which is the reason behind all that uproar”
Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın made statements and answered reporters’ questions in a press conference at the Presidential Complex following the meeting of the Presidential Cabinet.
In the conference broadcast live, Presidential Spokesperson Kalın said: “So much is written and said about Operation Peace Spring, which is followed by the entire world. And we are monitoring them very carefully. However, I would like to begin my remarks by noting that our priority, first and foremost, is the safety of our troops on the ground and that all our prayers and support are with them.
What matters more than the comments on the operation by Europe, the U.S. or any other country is the safety and morale of our troops there and them achieving their objectives, their victory as a result of their success during the operation.
“WE ARE DETERMINED TO CLEAR ALL TERRORIST ELEMENTS FROM THE EAST OF THE EUPHRATES RIVER”
One of the fundamental reasons behind all the uproar about Operation Peace Spring is that the operation has foiled multiple schemes. That is the reason behind the uproar. Operation Peace Spring has foiled multiple schemes simultaneously, and apparently the geopolitical reverberations it caused in the region will continue in the near future.
Some may be surprised by the fact that Turkey has made this move based on its national interests while the balances in the world are being reshaped. However, I am sure that those who know Turkey, the Turkish state, the Turkish nation and the Turkish army, who have some idea about our past are not surprised at all. Just like we cleared our borders of terrorists in the recent past through operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch, we are determined to clear all terrorist elements from the east of the Euphrates River. Surely, we are monitoring the geopolitical tremors caused by it. However, the criticism, sanction threats, denunciations cannot dissuade us from our rightful cause. Rest assured that Turkey will continue to put into action powerful and smart strategies both on the ground and at the table as was the case so far.
The operation continues as planned. On its 8th day, the operation has achieved great success sooner than expected. We can say that a climate of peace, stability and safety has been restored in the areas our troops secured. Those who oppose that are unfortunately the ones who have been for years feeding, supporting, training and financially backing the PKK terrorist organization and its offshoots in Syria.
“PKK, WITH ITS BRANCHES IN SYRIA AND IRAQ, IS A PROXY ORGANIZATION”
We need to note another fact here. The PKK, with its branches in Syria and Iraq, is a proxy organization, is a pawn used by international powers. We clearly have seen that in Syria. It is probably one of the greatest scandals in near political history that this organization, under the guise of fighting DAESH, has been backed, promoted, treated as if it were a state actor. We have seen similar cases in the past. Those, who make a fuss and try to besmear Operation Peace Spring are actually so outraged and panicked because their pawns in the Syrian region have lost ground.
“THEY ARE TRYING TO PORTRAY PKK’S DEFEAT AS THE KURDS’ LOSS”
They are trying to portray PKK’s defeat as the Kurds’ loss and I would like to underline that this could not be further from the truth. Because, the terrorist organization is trying to impose its own organizational agenda as an issue of our Kurdish brothers and sisters. We must see this fact very clearly. I would like to express once again that we separate our Kurdish brothers and sisters from the terrorist organization.
There are hundreds of thousands of Kurdish people in Syria who have never accepted this terrorist organization’s Marxists, Leninist, separatist agenda, ideology and terrorist methods. And they will not accept them. Our operation aims to liberate our Kurdish brothers and sisters there as well as other main groups in Syria – the Arabs, Turkmens, Christians – from the oppression of the organization.
Those who try to explain away this defeat as the Kurds’ loss, targeting of civilians, destabilization of the region or emerging of a humanitarian crisis are knowingly or unknowingly, directly or indirectly backing the terrorist organization.
“OPERATION PEACE SPRING WILL NEVER DISRUPT THE FIGHT AGAINST DAESH”
Let me stress that the remarks that claim the fight against DAESH would be undermined are nothing but lies made up to whitewash the PYD/YPG. As Mr. President has noted on various occasions, Operation Peace Spring will never disrupt or undermine the fight against DAESH. That is so because Turkey, through its Operation Euphrates Shield especially in the areas of Jarabulus, Al Bab and Azaz, neutralized over 3,000 DAESH terrorists and apprehended, deported, repatriated, brought to justice and imprisoned thousands of DAESH terrorists. Those who allege that Turkey’s intervention would undermine the fight against DAESH should keep these facts in mind.
However, let me also underscore that the West is using the PKK/PYD and DAESH as well as imprisoned DAESH members as a material of blackmail and bargaining chip. One of the most visible examples of this situation was seen two days ago when the DAESH-member prisoners were released from prison. We saw, as reported by newspaper Le Parisien, how the PYD members went to the prison and set free DAESH members overnight. This is an issue that must be highlighted so as to understand to what extents the schemes have reached.
It is our most natural right to ask those, who criticize Turkey over its Operation Peace Spring, by whom and why these DAESH members have been released. Will they hold PYD/YPG members to account? Will they assume responsibility when these DAESH members get involved in an act of terror in the future? Will they see the danger this organization, which they used to call an ally up until a few days ago, caused by setting free DAESH members, and will they make them answer for that?
“IT IS AN ECLIPSE OF REASON THAT OUR WESTERN FRIENDS VIEW THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AS AN ALLY”
As Mr. President has repeatedly noted, it is an eclipse of reason that our Western friends set aside Turkey, a NATO member, and view the terrorist organization as an ally. We saw how this terrorist organization, which they used to call an ally up until just a few days ago, rushed to cooperate with the regime and other countries. We have openly told that to U.S. officials and our counterparts and will continue to do so. It is our most natural right to ask them and know what they think about and how they explain the fact that these people, to whom they have provided arms and training up until today, forge alliances with the Assad regime and other countries.
Therefore, Operation Peace Spring, foiling multiple schemes simultaneously, has actually kick-started a fresh process that would restore all the geopolitical balances in the region.
“A PERCEPTION THAT SEES ALL THE ISSUES RELATED TO DAESH AS TURKEY’S PROBLEM IS TRIED TO BE CREATED”
We would like to note that the responsibility to fight against DAESH doesn’t belong to Turkey alone but it is rather an international responsibility. A perception, which sees all the issues related to DAESH and the fight against it in Syria and elsewhere as solely Turkey’s problem, is tried to be created. We have fought against this organization and rest assured that we will maintain our military, political, diplomatic and ideological efforts in order to prevent this organization from resurging in the future in any form. However, it is impossible for us to accept, either politically or morally, the attempts to put the responsibility on Turkey for this terrorist organization, which, having been encouraged by some circles, has claimed thousands of lives for years and left behind a mess.
The fight against DAESH is a struggle that can be maintained through cooperation among international organizations, countries and actors, as has been the case so far. In this regard, countries of origin must also assume responsibility about what will happen to DAESH-member prisoners. Actually, a grave legal scandal is taking place before our very eyes. Countries, most of them European, which don’t want to take back their own citizens since they are members of the DAESH terrorist organization, are trying to put the responsibility for these citizens on others. We will of course do our part about the issue but it is unacceptable to put the responsibility solely on Turkey.
“OPERATION PEACE SPRING WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN UNTIL IT REACHES ITS GOALS”
As you know, we encountered the same issue during the refugee crisis. We have all together seen what kind of a test European countries, which have belittled the refugee issue to numbers, so to speak, and said, ‘Anything can happen to them as long as they do not come to us,’ have experienced on this issue, and how they have failed it.
Turkey today hosts over 3.6 million Syrian refugees. Therefore, some circles’ claims that there will be a humanitarian crisis and a new migration wave because of Operation Peace Spring, and that thousands of people will be forced to leave their homes are, to be honest, quite ridiculous to us. It is neither a right nor a responsibility or a power of those who have not lifted a finger, so to speak, for refugees until today to try to bring Turkey to account on this issue. We have thus far embraced Syrian refugees, be it Arab, Kurdish, Muslim or Christian, without any discrimination, and will continue to do so.
I also find it necessary to recall an issue which has been overlooked. While we host almost 4 million refugees in our country, we help nearly 3 million Syrians in Syria, which means about 7 million Syrians are today under Turkey’s protection. It corresponds to the one third of Syria’s entire population. Is there any other country in the world that can do this? I wonder how many Syrian refugees are there in the countries of those who criticize us and claim that this operation will lead to a humanitarian crisis and that civilians will get harmed? What sort of steps have they taken so far to avert this crisis? It is our most natural right to ask these questions.
In this sense, Operation Peace Spring will continue without slowing down until it reaches its goals. And, alhamdulillah, our goals are quite clear and obvious, which is to entirely clear our border areas of terrorist elements, in other words to completely rid this region of DAESH, PYD/YPG and similar terrorist organizations. Secondly, to facilitate the return of the refugees in Turkey to these cities, towns and villages that we will make secure, to achieve this on a voluntary basis, and to enable refugees to safely return to their country in a dignified manner.
“IT IS THE VERY PYD AND YPG THAT DISRUPT THE DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE”
So, I would like to stress that the claims that the demographic structure in the north of Syria and east of the Euphrates will be changed through Operation Peace Spring are totally groundless, baseless, and they are each an element of propaganda and disinformation. On the contrary, it is YPG and PYD that have changed the demographic structure there. In other words, who occupies Arab villages and Arab cities, forces the people living there to immigrate and invades these places to take under their control is PYD and YPG organizations, which are backed, armed and financially strengthened by the U.S. Therefore, it is neither Turkey nor Operation Peace Spring that disrupts the demographic structure there. It is the very PYD and YPG that have disrupted the demographic structure, and one of the most important outcomes of Operation Peace Spring will be this demographic structure to return to its original state.
Turkey never plans to forcibly send anyone to a place where they do not want to go to. It is already out of the question that our country, which has opened its heart and doors to these people with a great generosity, will be in an act which will cause trouble to these people or threaten their security of lives and properties while they are going their homes.
“SOME CIRCLES ARE SEEKING TO AFFECT THE OPERATION THROUGH DISINFORMATION”
As Mr. President pointed out this morning, once this region is cleared of terrorist elements, Operation Peace Spring will have reached its goals. Therefore, the answers of such questions as ‘What is your goal?’ ‘How far will you go?’ ‘What is its scope?’ ‘How many days will it last?’ ‘How long will it last?’ actually rest in here: This operation will continue in a determined manner until it reaches its goals. Because, as Mr. President has expressed loud and clear before the entire world for four years, we have clearly seen that the world will do nothing to clear this region of terrorists.
Mr. President has held numerous talks with the U.S. President and European leaders, and has told them that there will be no peace and stability in here as long as these aids are delivered to these terrorist elements. He has clearly pointed out that it is an existential threat for our national security. However, when Operation Peace Spring has started, some circles which have not realized and understood our determination and solemnity on this issue are now seeking to slow down this operation in panic through statements like, ‘What has happened? Why has this operation been launched?’ ‘Balances will be upset,’ ‘There will be a humanitarian crisis,’ ‘The fight against DAESH will be undermined,’ and to adversely affect this operation through disinformation. Let us clearly point out that none of these will have the slightest effect on the execution and determination of this operation. The operation will be resolutely continued from now on as planned within the framework of its pace, rhythm, scope and duration, laid out by our military experts, and within the scope of political instructions.
We already clearly see that Operation Peace Spring will continue to be talked about from now on as well during this period of great turmoil and new geopolitical positions. Yet, throughout this period, this operation will inshallah continue in a determined manner until it reaches its goals under Mr. President’s sagacious leadership and with our people’s all-out support.”
