Turkey on Friday criticized a European Parliament motion urging Turkey to withdraw from Afrin and to stop its ongoing operation in the Syrian district saying the motion is biased
In a written statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that with the motion, the European Parliament once again showed its one-sided views.
The statement said that it is not possible for Turkey to accept the decision of the EP, which the ministry said “is known for its tolerance for terrorist groups”.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had also slammed the EP’s motion and vowed that Turkish troops will continue the operation until the mission is completed.
“Don’t get your hopes up. We will only leave Afrin once our work is done,” Erdoğan said in a speech in Ankara on Thursday (March 15), immediately after the motion was adopted, reported Hurriyet media on its website.
The motion that expressed concern over the escalating situation and rising civilian casualties in Afrin was adopted ahead of a key Turkey-EU Summit scheduled to be held in the Bulgarian city of Varna on March 26
According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation Olive Branch, launched on January 20, aims to clear the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) from the area and establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as to protect Syrians from terrorist oppression and cruelty.
The military also said only terror targets are being destroyed and that the “utmost care” is being taken to avoid harming civilians.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu recently signaled that the operation could be wrapped up “in May” after the enclave is fully secured “for the return of local Syrians,” reported Hurriyet
