Syrian govt condemns Turkish extension of troops deployment in Syria

Damascus, Oct 31 (IANS) The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the Turkish decision to extend its troops' deployment in Syria and Iraq for two more years, saying such practices threaten international peace and security, according to the state news agency SANA.

In a statement, the Ministry stressed that the regional and international status quo can't tolerate the practices of the Turkish government.

The Ministry pointed out that the Turkish forces are launching military attacks on Syrian soil, which run against the UN Security Council resolutions that call for respecting the sovereignty and independence of the Syrian territories, Xinhua news agency reported.

It further called on the international community to hold Turkey accountable for the "war crimes and aggression it committed against Syria".

It also demanded compensation for all the losses caused by the Turkish military operations in Syria, which, it said, "left a hefty toll on civilians, the country's infrastructure, private and public properties, natural resources, and the Syrian historical heritage."

Since 2016, several Turkish cross-border operations have taken place in northern Syria, targeting areas controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The Turkish forces have also established military bases and observation points in the countryside of the northern province of Aleppo and the north-western province of Idlib, with the help of local armed rebels.

The Syrian government has for long demanded the withdrawal of the Turkish forces from Syria, saying such forces entered the country illegally without the consent of the Syrian government and supported ultra-radical rebel groups against the Syrian government forces.