ANKARA, January 19. /TASS/. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says his country will continue to support Syria in its fight against terrorism and efforts to ensure national unity.

"As a brotherly nation, as a neighbor and friend of the Syrian people in tough times, we will henceforth not allow any attempts to undermine the situation. The ‘one state - one army’ principle is a necessary prerequisite for ensuring stability in Syria. Turkey fully supports all measures to establish and reinforce this principle. It will always support Syria in its fight against terrorism and will not leave its people out in the cold," Erdogan said after a government meeting in Ankara.

He went on to say that the Syrian military’s operation against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) coalition "is deserving of respect."

"Despite provocative acts carried out by armed groups occupying Syria’s north, the army still got the job done. It carefully avoided any actions that could be viewed as unjust. The Syrian government successfully resolved the problem through negotiations, coming out on top with minimal losses, in order to ensure lasting peace, security and stability in the country," Erdogan continued.

"Yesterday’s peace agreement was met with great optimism by the Syrian people. Footage from Aleppo, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor and other Syrian cities also illustrates the Syrian people’s aspiration for peace," the Turkish leader added.

On January 18, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa approved a new ceasefire agreement with the Kurdish forces. Under the deal, the northeastern provinces of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa are to come under the full control of Syria’s transitional government. The Syrian army will be responsible for maintaining security at all border crossings as well as oil and gas fields in the region.