What Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly hinted at in recent weeks is now becoming more concrete: The statement by the National Security Council (MGK), which was published on Thursday evening after a three-hour meeting chaired by Erdogan, states that "a possible military operation in the Northern Syria" is "necessary for the security of the country".

Rainer Herman

Editor in Politics.

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The operations Turkey is conducting and will conduct do not violate the sovereignty or integrity of Turkey's neighbors, the statement said.

They served solely to cleanse the southern borders of terrorist threats.

The PKK and its allied Kurdish militia YPG in northern Syria were expressly mentioned.

The US has already expressed concerns

Turkey may also make its future behavior towards Sweden and Finland's accession requests dependent on NATO's reaction to its new plans in Syria.

The National Security Council statement states that Turkey has always fulfilled its obligations in accordance with the spirit of the alliance.

Now she expects the same sincerity from her allies and the consideration of Turkish security interests.

The United States has already expressed concerns about Turkey's planned new operation.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said they were concerned about civilians.

In addition, another Turkish invasion of northern Syria could distract the alliance of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by the Kurdish YPG from their successful fight against the "Islamic State".

One of the goals of Turkey's military operations in Syria in 2016, 2018 and 2019 was to create "safe zones" to which Syrian refugees would be repatriated.

President Erdogan recently spoke again of a million refugees who are to be resettled there.

However, of the roughly four million Syrian refugees in Turkey, most are from other parts of Syria.

One of the reasons why the repatriation plan is not progressing is that the YPG, who have been expelled from the Turkish-occupied areas, are shooting at them.

Therefore, Turkey now wants to expand the region it controls in northern Syria.

The declaration of the National Security Council also comments on the alleged "increasing provocations by Greece in the Aegean".

It is said that Turkey will resolutely defend its rights and interests.