Yildiz Nevin Gundogmus
17 October 2019•Update: 18 October 2019
ANKARA
Turkey’s presidential aide received on Thursday a Russian delegation led by the country's special envoy for Syria in the capital Ankara.
Ibrahim Kalin and Alexander Lavrentiev -- accompanied with other members of the delegation -- discussed the latest developments in Syria, including Manbij and Idlib, and Turkey's ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the country.
Both countries agreed to prevent the threat posed by all terror groups, including YPG/PKK-PYD and Daesh, against Syria’s territorial integrity and to maintain the existing cooperation between Turkey and Russia on this subject during the meeting.
The aim of Operation Peace Spring -- to eliminate Turkey's national security concerns and ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees -- was also stressed during the gathering.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with a U.S. delegation, including National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien and James Jeffrey, the U.S. special envoy for the anti-Daesh coalition, in the city.
Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG/PYD.
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.
