Turkey won’t let Syria safe zone be turned into 'swamp'

<p>By Diyar Guldogan</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Ankara will never allow a safe zone in Syria to be transformed into &quot;another swamp&quot; against Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday.</p> <p>&quot;We can never allow an implementation of a safe zone [to be established in northern Syria] to be transformed into another swamp against our country,&quot; Erdogan said at a meeting of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) in the capital Ankara.</p> <p>Erdogan said Ankara was not against the formation of 30-kilometer (20-mile) safe zone in northern Syria near Turkey’s border, adding the aim of a safe zone should be to keep terrorist organizations away from Turkey's border.</p> <p>The president said Turkey has “no eye” on Syria's territorial integrity, adding he will also discuss the issue with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow in the upcoming days.</p> <p>About a possible Turkish military operation in the region east of the Euphrates River, Erdogan said almost all preparations have been completed.</p> <p>A mission east of the Euphrates River, which Turkey’s leadership has been suggesting for months, would follow two successful cross-border Turkish operations into Syria since 2016 — Operations Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch — meant to eradicate the presence of YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists near Turkey’s borders.</p> <p>In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.</p> <p>&quot;Those who have carried out even a slightest attack on our country, will pay a heavy price. In particular Daesh, YPG, PYD, all of them will pay a heavy price,&quot; Erdogan said.</p>