Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan mentioned on Friday he hoped Syrian rebels will proceed their advance in opposition to President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in Syria, however voiced concern about what he mentioned have been terrorist organizations of their midst.
Erdogan advised reporters after Friday prayers he was carefully following the push which he mentioned was heading to the Syrian capital. But he advised he had combined emotions, given a number of the forces concerned.
“The goal is Damascus,” he mentioned. “I’d say we hope for this advance to proceed with none points.
“However, whereas this resistance there with terrorist organizations is continuous, we had made a name to Assad,” he added, referring to his approaches to Assad earlier this 12 months to satisfy and normalize ties after greater than a decade of animosity.
“These problematic advances persevering with as a complete within the area aren’t in a way we need, our coronary heart doesn’t need these. Unfortunately, the area is in a bind,” he mentioned, with out elaborating.
Turkey’s position in Syria
Erdogan’s feedback underlined the advanced construction of the insurgent forces combating Assad, and the combined allegiances amongst actors on the bottom, together with Turkey.
Ankara has for years supported Syrian opposition forces seeking to oust the Iran and Russia-backed Assad, but additionally views some regional gamers as terrorists, together with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist former Al-Qaeda affiliate that’s a part of the insurgent power.
Syrian rebels captured the town of Hama on Thursday, a significant victory in a week-old lightning advance throughout northern Syria and a devastating new blow to Assad.
Turkey has mentioned it had no involvement within the operation and that it offered no assist to the rebels.
It has repeatedly mentioned Assad wants to interact in talks with the Syrian folks for a political resolution and that Ankara didn’t wish to see a contemporary wave of migrants fleeing the violence.
The overseas ministers of Turkey, Iran and Russia will meet in Doha on Saturday as a part of the Astana Process, established to hunt a political resolution to the 13-year previous Syrian battle.
