Turkish opposition leader supports safe zone in Syria

By Merve Yildizalp, Baris Gundogan and Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA (AA) - The leader of Turkey’s opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on Thursday said he would support a proposed safe zone in northern Syria under Turkey's control.

Devlet Bahceli told his party's parliamentary group that he would only support the 30-kilometer (20-mile) safe zone along the Syrian border “if it is under entirely Turkey’s supervision and control,” and if it "makes no concessions in the fight against terror."

"The government’s fight against terrorism is rightful and legitimate," said Bahceli.

He slammed U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton's statement, conflating "Kurds" with the terrorist PKK/YPG in Syria

Bahceli said: "Conflating terrorists with Kurds is a crime against humanity."

In a Monday phone call, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed the idea of establishing a terror-free safe zone in northern Syria.