President Erdoğan: Turkish security forces not to withdraw from northern Syria as part of deal with US

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a statement to reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul.

Clash in safe zone between Turkish forces and YPG/PKK terrorists is out of question, and disinformation, Turkish president said on Friday.

Turkish security forces will not withdraw from northern Syria as part of deal with the U.S., Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters.

"Within the 120-hour process, YPG/PKK terrorist organization will withdraw from the region that we have designated as a safe zone," Erdoğan stressed.

Turkey and the U.S. came to an agreement on Thursday to pause Turkey’s anti-terror operation in northern Syria.

Turkey agreed to pause its Operation Peace Spring for 120 hours in order to allow the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the planned safe zone.

On Thursday, Erdogan and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence also agreed on Turkey having 20 miles (32 miles) of safe zone south of the Turkish border in Syria.

Erdoğan added that the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is another phase of safe zone process.