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Turkey's ground operation in Syria should not be allowed, says presidential envoy

As Alexander Lavrentiev noted, Russia in its bilateral contacts with Turkey continues to try to prevent a ground operation

ASTANA, November 23. /TASS/. Turkey's ground operation in Syria cannot be allowed, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev told TASS.

"It is our task to convince our Turkish colleagues that it is inexpedient to conduct a ground operation. This will lead to an outbreak of violence and civilian casualties, to further ecalation, including with the Kurds who are there, and to a new wave of violence, including in Turkey itself, to various terrorist acts," he said, "I don't think it should be allowed to happen, and I don't think that the Turkish leadership is interested in any destabilization of the situation in Turkey itself before the upcoming [presidential] elections in 2023."

As Lavrentiev noted, Russia in its bilateral contacts with Turkey continues to try to prevent a ground operation. "Certainly, we are continuing to do so. <...> I believe they are listening to our arguments, and our arguments are quite reasonable and solid," the presidential envoy added, responding to a question from TASS.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that a cross-border ground operation in northern Syria against the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the People’s Defense Units, based there and recognized as terrorist organizations by Ankara, could be conducted in the near future.

More than 50 aircraft and 20 drones are taking part in Turkey’s ‘Operation Claw Sword’. Turkish air power is getting ground support from artillery. The strikes were carried out against sites where the Kurdistan Workers' Party and its Syrian branch (People’s Defense Units), outlawed in Turkey, are said to be located. The Turkish National Defense Ministry reported that the operation was a success, noting that the main bases and locations where the terrorists had gathered were wiped out.

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Foreign policy Turkey

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