Putin tells Erdogan he wants quick end to Syrian opposition operations

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday, during a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that he wants a "quick" end to the operation launched by Syrian opposition factions last Wednesday in northwestern Syria.

"Vladimir Putin stressed the need to quickly end the terrorist aggression of extremist groups against the Syrian state and provide full support to the efforts of the legitimate authorities to restore stability and constitutional order," the Kremlin said in a statement.

For his part, Erdogan stressed during the call Turkey's support for the territorial integrity of Syria and its efforts to reach a just and lasting solution in Syria, according to a statement from the Turkish Presidency's Communications Department. He stressed the importance of opening up more space for diplomacy in the region and the need for the Syrian regime to engage in the political solution process at this stage.

Erdogan explained that the most important issue in the context of the recent developments in Syria is the need to prevent civilians from being harmed. He stressed that Syria must not be a source of further instability. He pointed out that Turkey is making strenuous efforts to achieve calm in the neighboring country. He added that Turkey will continue its firm stance regarding the fight against the terrorist organization "PKK" and its extensions, which are trying to exploit the developments taking place in Syria.

Last Wednesday, the Syrian opposition factions launched a military operation called "Deterrence of Aggression" in northwestern Syria, and were able to control the entire Idlib province and most of Aleppo province, amid successive withdrawals of the Syrian regime forces and the pro-Iranian militias that were present in these areas. The opposition forces also stormed the Hama countryside and are approaching the city of Hama, where the Syrian regime is entrenched, in an attempt to repel the advance of the opposition forces.

(AFP, Anadolu)