France’s President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Sunday for an end to Turkey’s offensive against Kurds in northern Syria, warning of dire humanitarian consequences and a boost for ISIS, a terrorist organization.
“Our common wish is that the offensive must cease,” Macron told a joint press conference with Merkel, who said she had spoken to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan for an hour on Sunday and told him: “We must put an end to this Turkish invasion.”
“There are humanitarian reasons for this,” Merkel told journalists, adding: “We can no longer accept this situation against the Kurds. Another solution must absolutely be found.”
For his part, Macron said the offensive risked creating “unbearable humanitarian situations” while helping ISIS extremists, whom the Kurds had fought, “re-emerge in the region.”
RELATED: Macron urges Turkey to end Syria offensive ‘as quickly as possible’
Fighting has engulfed northern Syria since Wednesday when Ankara launched a long-threatened offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it considers “terrorists” linked to insurgents in Turkey.
US President Donald Trump has been accused of abandoning a loyal ally in the fight against ISIS after ordering American troops to pull back from the border region.
Also Read
-
Syrian army to deploy along Turkish border in deal with Kurdish-led forces
The Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria said on Sunday it has agreed with the Syrian government for the Syrian army to be deployed along the ... Middle East -
US preparing to withdraw all remaining troops from northern Syria
The United States is poised to evacuate about 1,000 US troops from northern Syria, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Sunday in an interview with ... Middle East -
Kurdish-led SDF gain back control over most of Ras al-Ain border city: Monitor
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) gain back control over most of the border city of Ras al-Ain, in a counterattack which killed 17 from ... Middle East -
Turkish army, Syrian allies enter Tal Abyad, situation calm: Reuters witness
The Turkish army and its Syrian opposition allies advanced into the center of the Syrian town of Tal Abyad on Sunday where the situation was calm and ... Middle East
