Recep Tayyip Erdogan
A statement Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s intention to remove Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad from power should not be understood literally. About it in conversation with RIA Novosti said a source in the administration of the Turkish leader.
“President’s statement yesterday sounded, but it should not be taken literally. I hope that arising from that misunderstanding (with Russia) will be quickly overcome,” — said the Agency interlocutor. He added that the official comments on Erdogan’s statement can only give the top leaders of Turkey.
November 30, the Russian foreign Ministry said that during his visit to Ankara, Minister of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov asks the question about the human figure — that had previously announced that the purpose of the invasion of Turkish troops into Syria is the removal from power of President Bashar al-Assad.
“We don’t want Syrian land (…). We are there to restore justice and to put an end to the domination of a cruel tyrant Assad, which supports state terror,” said Erdogan.
On August 24, the Turkish Armed forces with the participation of soldiers of the Syrian free army (FSA) carried out an operation “shield of the Euphrates”. Its main stated goal was the liberation of border areas from the extremists of the “Islamic state” (banned in Russia) and fighters of the Kurdish militia, and the establishment in those areas of the security zones.
In October, the Turkish military reported that they managed to clear extremists from the area of 1.24 million square kilometers.