Erdogan to address Syria crisis, fight against terror at the UNGA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to discuss the crises in Syria and Iraq, the fight against terrorism and the failed July 15 coup attempt at speech at the United Nations General Assembly this week, he said on Monday.

Erdogan, who was speaking to reporters at a news conference before departing Istanbul for New York, also said that Turkey-backed rebels in northern Syria could push further south after clearing an area along the border of ISIS militants.

Turkey last month launched its operation in northern Syria, dubbed “Euphrates Shield”, aimed at clearing ISIS from Turkey’s Syrian border and stopping the advance of Syrian Kurdish fighters. So far, Turkey has secured a narrow strip of land along its border.

“As part of the Euphrates Shield operation, an area of 900 square kilometres has been cleared of terror so far. This area is pushing south,” Erdogan said.

“We may extend this area to 5,000 square kilometres as part of a safe zone.”