Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced today, Sunday, that his country intends to complete the "security belt" that it is working to establish along its border with Syria as soon as possible, noting that Ankara does not take permission from anyone to combat terrorism and will manage itself.
"God willing, we will complete the 30-kilometer-deep security belt that we are working to establish step by step along our border with Syria, as soon as possible," Erdogan said - in a speech to a sit-in for mothers and families "victims of terrorism" in Diyarbakir province.
He added, "The Turkish government is working to complete the struggle of mothers in Diyarbakir and other provinces through operations launched outside the borders (against terrorists)."
He stressed that Turkey has begun to end the presence of the Kurdistan Workers' Party "PKK" - which Ankara considers a terrorist organization - in the places in which it is active, and that the latter is no longer able to deceive children and persuade its militants to remain in its ranks, as he put it.
In response to a question about whether there is communication with the United States regarding any possible new military operation in Syria, Erdogan said, "First of all, everyone must do what it has to do with regard to these issues... and if the United States is not doing what it has to do in the fight against terrorism." What are we going to do? We will manage. Terrorism cannot be fought by taking permission from anyone."
The Turkish National Security Council had said Thursday that the current military operations on the country's southern borders and the ones that will be carried out are "a necessity for national security" and that they do not target the sovereignty of neighboring countries.
Erdogan also indicated in a previous statement last Monday that his country will soon establish safe areas 30 kilometers outside its southern borders to combat what he described as terrorist threats.
In reactions to the possible Turkish military operation, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced Tehran's opposition to any such operation.
According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, "Iran opposes any military action and the use of force on the territories of other countries with the aim of settling differences between the two sides, and considers it a violation of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of these countries."
He considered that a possible military operation by Turkey would lead to "more complexity and escalation" in Syria.
And the Syrian Foreign Ministry had considered - two days after Erdogan announced preparations for a new operation in northern Syria - that it would consider any Turkish military incursion into its territory "war crimes and crimes against humanity."
The United States also expressed "concern" about the Turkish efforts.
It is noteworthy that the Reuters news agency had quoted a few days ago, the "Yeni Şafak" newspaper, which is loyal to the Turkish government, as saying that preparations had been made for a new operation with the aim of expanding the "safe areas" that had already been established in northern Syria, with the identification of several goals.
Among these targets - according to the agency - are the areas of Tel Rifaat, Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), Ain Issa and Manbij, all of which are under the control of the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units, which Ankara considers an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party.