Turkey launches special operation as Russia refuses to destroy terrorists in Syria - Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan explained the reasons for the special operation in northern Syria. According to Erdogan, Turkey had to launch the operation because of, inter alia, Russia's alleged refusal to destroy terrorists in the region.

“Despite our repeated warnings to Russia, which, according to our 2019 Sochi agreement, is responsible for the destruction of terrorists in northern Iraq and Syria, Moscow refuses to fulfill its duty,” Erdogan said, The Daily Sabah newspaper said. 

Turkey will take measures against terrorists on its own, Erdogan said adding that the operation would continue.

Earlier it became known that Turkey started the operation in northern Syria and Iraq a day earlier than planned after US officials, who were informed of the operation, deciphered it in advance. Initially, the operation was scheduled for Sunday evening, November 20th.

On November 15, it was reported that turkey had plans to conduct another special operation against combat formations of the Kurdistan Workers' Party in northern Syria. The operation comes as a response to the terrorist attack in Istanbul on November 13, in which Ankara blames the Syrian Kurds.