Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu
October 22, 2019•Update: October 23, 2019
ANKARA
A Turkish political leader on Tuesday said the country has won with its anti-terrorism offensive in northern Syria, adding it “should not lose at the table”.
"We have won on the field with Operation Peace Spring, but we should not lose at the table," said Mustafa Destici, head of the Grand Unity Party (BBP), adding Turkey should not “take a step back on the table”.
Destici said if the 13-point agreement between Ankara and Washington on northeastern Syria could not be implemented, Turkey should continue the operation with “more force”.
"This is the expectation of our nation," he added.
On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
On Oct. 17, a U.S. delegation headed by Vice President Mike Pence paid a working visit to the capital Ankara, where they met Erdogan and discussed Turkey's anti-terror operation.
Following the meeting, the two sides reached a 13-point agreement on northeastern Syria.
As part of the deal, Turkey paused its anti-terror push east of the Euphrates River for 120 hours to allow the withdrawal of terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot YPG/PKK from the planned safe zone. The pause for the anti-terror operation will end Tuesday night.
Ankara and the U.S. also agreed on a 32-kilometer (20-mile) safe zone south of the Turkish border in Syria, where Turkey wants to accommodate Syrian refugees it is currently hosting.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
