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Merkel urges Erdogan to immediately end Syria offensive: Berlin
BERLIN, Oct 13, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel on
Sunday urged President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to halt Turkey’s offensive in
northern Syria immediately, warning it could spark further destabilisation of
the region and a resurgence of the IS jihadist group.
In a phone call with Erdogan, Merkel “spoke in favour for an immediate end
to the military operation”, the chancellor’s office said in a statement.
The operation threatens to drive large parts of the population from their
homes, she said, noting that it would also risk “destabilisation of the
region and lead to a resurgence of the IS”.
Germany and France on Saturday said they were suspending arms exports to
Turkey over its offensive in Syria against the Kurdish People’s Protection
Units (YPG).
Turkey sees the YPG as a terrorist off-shoot of Kurdish rebels in its own
territory, but Western powers used the Kurds as the main ground force against
the Islamic State group in Syria.
BSS/AFP/RY/1920 hrs