MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. It was quite logical to pull Syrian militia units to Afrin located 65 kilometers off Aleppo as response to Turkey’s aggression, Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Sunday after talks with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister’s Special Assistant for Political Affairs, Hussein Jabri Ansari.

"It was a natural reaction to Turkey’s intrusion," SANA News quoted him as saying. He said that it is natural that people are getting consolidated to defeat the invaders when the Syrian army is fighting against terrorists.

According to Assad, Turkey’s operation in Afrin is "a new proof of Turkey’s continuing policy towards Syria."

Turkey’s General Staff announced on January 20 beginning of the Olive Branch operation against the Kurds’ units near Afrin, where about 1.5 million Syrian Kurds live.