Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Sunday that threats of sanctions and arms embargoes by Western powers would not stop Turkey's military offensive against YPG and Daesh militants in the conflict-ravaged Syria.
"After we launched our operation, we have faced threats like economic sanctions and embargoes on weapons sales. Those who think they can make Turkey turn back with these threats are gravely mistaken," Erdoğan said in a televised speech.
France and Germany said Saturday that they were suspending arms exports to Turkey over its offensive in Syria against the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Daesh terrorists.
At a Sunday press conference, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated that #operationpeacespring aims to clear Turkey's borders from terrorists and ensure a safe return of Syrian refugees to their homes. pic.twitter.com/Zi9mYbacIy
— ANews (@anewscomtr) October 13, 2019
Turkey sees the YPG as a terrorist off-shoot of PKK that has been waging a terror campaign in Turkey fore more than three decades, but Western powers, U.S. and EU, used the YPG militants as the main ground force against the Daesh terror group in Syria.
Erdoğan said he spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel by phone on Wednesday and raised the issue of the arms embargo.
"I told her to explain it to me. Are we really allies at the heart of NATO, or has the terrorist group (the YPG) been accepted into NATO without my being informed?" he said.
He also rejected the idea of any mediation between Turkey and the YPG.
"When did you see a state sit at the same table with a terror group?" he said.
