Turkey announced on Monday, March 19, that it does not have plans for a long-term presence in Syria and will "hand over the region to its rightful owners once it is cleared of terrorists." The country also stated that it has completely captured Afrin with the support of aligned Syrian rebels and has driven out all Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) forces from the city. Bekir Bozdağ, the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, stated: "We do not intend to have a permanent presence in Afrin, nor are we an aggressive force. Our aim is to clear the region of terrorists and hand it over to its rightful owners." Since the start of Turkey's military operation in Afrin in northwestern Syria, 150,000 civilians have fled the area. Mr. Bozdağ mentioned that the capture of Afrin was part of the military operation known as "Olive Branch" and has enhanced Turkey's border security. The Olive Branch operation is Turkey's second military presence in Syria, following last year's operation called "Euphrates Shield." Ankara claimed that this operation was aimed at closing a "terror corridor." After the Euphrates Shield operation, Turkey established observation posts and local government institutions. Mr. Bozdağ stated that Turkey intends to do similar work in Afrin as well, although he did not provide further details. Turkey's military operation in Afrin has faced criticism from the United States and France. The Kurdish YPG forces were allies of the international coalition against ISIS and were armed by the U.S. Bozdağ stated that most of the weapons given to the Kurdish fighters by the U.S. have been "collected." He mentioned that with the capture of Afrin, the Kurdish militants laid down their arms and fled the area. Meanwhile, the YPG forces stated that they were "forced to leave the area" strategically but said they would return to reclaim it. On Sunday, some reports surfaced about chaos and looting in Afrin. Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, stated on Monday that such reports are "concerning." She added: "International efforts are aimed at establishing stability in Syria, not causing instability and unrest."
Turkey: Our Military Forces Will Not Remain in Afrin
Turkey has announced it will not maintain a long-term military presence in Afrin, Syria, after capturing the city from Kurdish forces. This operation has led to the displacement of 150,000 civilians and has drawn criticism from the U.S. and France. The situation is significant as it affects regional security dynamics and the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Turkey has captured the city of Afrin in Syria from Kurdish forces and announced it will not maintain a long-term military presence there. This operation has led to significant civilian displacement and has drawn international criticism.
- 150,000 civilians have fled Afrin due to the military operation.
- Turkey's operation is part of a broader strategy to enhance its border security and eliminate perceived terrorist threats.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Turkey's operations in Syria are aimed at countering Kurdish forces, which it views as terrorists, while the U.S. has supported these Kurdish groups in the fight against ISIS.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%