Erdogan discusses with Sudanese the situation in Syria and urges Assad to engage in a political process news
The Turkish presidency said on Tuesday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani during a phone call that Ankara’s priority is to maintain calm on its borders and that the Syrian government needs to engage in a real political process to end the escalation in the north of the country.
The Turkish presidency confirmed in a statement issued after the phone call between the two leaders that “Erdogan said that Turkey is taking steps, consistent with its national security and interests, to prevent the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party organization and its affiliates from exploiting developments, and will take (further) steps.”
She added that Erdogan also told Al-Sudani during the call that Türkiye values the safety, territorial integrity and stability of Syria, and that Ankara wants to avoid civilian deaths.
The Turkish President also stressed – according to the statement – the importance of Syria’s unity and territorial integrity, and that Ankara shares the opinion with Baghdad in this regard.
Iraq will not remain a spectator
For his part, Al-Sudani informed Erdogan that Iraq “will not stand by and watch the dangerous repercussions” of what is happening in Syria, according to a statement issued by his office.
The statement indicated that Iraq “has previously been affected by terrorism and the results of extremist organizations’ control over areas in Syria, and will not allow this to be repeated.”
The Iraqi Prime Minister stressed “the importance of respecting Syria’s unity and sovereignty.”
According to the statement, during the call it was emphasized “the importance of joint coordination between the two sides, and the necessity of supporting security and stability in Syria, as it directly affects the security and stability of Iraq and all countries of the region.”
It is noteworthy that the factions deployed in Idlib Governorate – formerly affiliated with what is known as the “Fath Al-Mubin” Operations Room – launched the “Deterring Aggression” operation on November 27 last, and for it formed the so-called “Joint Operations Department,” which included both the Editorial Board Al-Sham, the Ahrar Al-Sham movement, the National Liberation Front, and groups from the Turkestan Party.
