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Erdoğan: "US has not fully kept promises in Syria deal"

23 October 2019 00:16 (UTC +04:00)

The United States has not fully kept its promises on Syria or its eal with Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday as the 120-hour pause for Turkey's anti-terror operation in Syria came to end.

"Promises were not kept. Iif we make concessions we will clear the way for terrorists," Erdoğan said, adding that Turkey is ready to take the necessary steps.

"If we make compromises we would open the way for the terrorist organization," he added.

Turkey and Washington agreed on Thursday for Ankara to halt Operation Peace Spring for 120 hours while YPG terrorists withdraw from a safe zone in northeastern Syria.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northeastern Syria in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

The operation, conducted in line with the country's right to self-defense borne out of international law and U.N. Security Council resolutions, aims to establish a terror-free safe zone for Syrians return in the area east of the Euphrates River controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is dominated by YPG terrorists.

The PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union — has waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years, resulting in the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.