Turkey warned on Wednesday that Syrian forces entering the northwestern Afrin region would face "serious consequences" and would be considered legitimate targets.
A convoy of 40-50 vehicles with pro-government forces tried to enter Afrin, Syria, on Tuesday, but retreated after being fired upon by Turkish forces, a spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan said.
Ibrahim Kalin
"Every step of the regime or other elements in this direction will certainly have serious consequences"
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Turkish attack continued overnight, including the bombing of the main city of Afrin. A pro-Assad military alliance commander told Reuters on Tuesday that the forces had retreated when attacked, but continued to advance and were in Afrin.
Turkey and its Syrian revolutionary allies launched a military operation last month to flee Kurdish YPG fighters from Afrin. Ankara says the YPG is a terrorist group and an extension of the PKK, which has been fighting for thirty decades with an uprising in southeastern Turkey.
Ibrahim Kalin
"Any step aimed at supporting the (…) YPG terrorist organization will mean that they are in direct contact with terrorist organizations and will therefore be legitimate targets for us."
He also said that Turkey was not in direct talks with the Syrian government, but that its messages were conveyed indirectly.
