The Syrian government on Thursday warned Turkey against launching a military operation in the northwestern region of Afrin and said its air defenses were ready to counter such an attack.
“We warn the Turkish leadership that if it initiates hostilities in the Afrin region, it will be considered an act of aggression by the Turkish army,” Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad said in remarks carried by state media.
“We are aware that the Syrian Air Defense Force has regained its full strength and is ready to destroy Turkish air targets in the skies of the Syrian Arab Republic. This means that if Turkish air strikes on Syria, it should not consider itself a picnic.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Mouloud Zhaoshoglu said in an interview with CNN Turk on Thursday that Turkey would intervene in the areas of Afrin and Manbij in Syria to counter the protection units of the Kurdish people.
Turkish troops are already stationed in areas of Syria on both sides of Afrin, controlled by the People’s Protection Units. The Syrian army controls territory south of it.
Mekdad said that the presence of any Turkish troops on Syrian territory is completely unacceptable and that any military action by Ankara will play its role as a party in diplomatic efforts and put it at the level of terrorist groups.
