Erdogan says Turkey will expand safe zone if needed

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - If needed, Turkey will expand safe zone in northern Syria, the Turkish president said on Wednesday.

"We will give a drastic response to any attack coming from outside of safe zone [in northern Syria] and we will expand our safe zone area if needed," said Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his party's parliamentary group.

Erdogan said nearly 700 attacks against Turkey have been carried out by terrorists abroad, especially in Europe, since Turkey started anti-terror operation in northern Syria.

Those countries which accept YPG/PKK as a terrorist group allow its symbols on their streets, while banning all pro-Turkey activities, Erdogan noted.

"Most of them are our addressees in NATO, most of them are our addressees in the EU where we are negotiator right now," said Erdogan.

"Despite all, these attacks are conducted in their countries and moreover they are conducted with police escort," he added.

In this "new war of independence", Turkey is walking "step by step" towards victory, Erdogan stressed.

On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

On Oct. 22, Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a meeting in Russia's Black Sea resort town of Sochi.

Ankara and Moscow reached a deal under which YPG/PKK terrorists will pull back 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Turkey’s border with northern Syria within 150 hours and security forces from Turkey and Russia will conduct joint patrols there.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.