French President Francois Hollande has said he “understands” Turkey’s motive behind the Euphrates Shield Operation in northwestern Syria, the Pentagon also dubbed it an “important milestone” in the fight against Islamic State (ISIS).
“Turkey itself wanted to enter Syrian territory to fight Daesh [ISIS] and we can understand this attitude concerning the terrorist crimes committed by Daesh in Turkey,” Hollande told reporters near Paris on Thursday.
“But at the same time we must ensure that this action demonstrates a desire to move towards negotiations,” over bringing the war in Syria to an end, he added.
Resumption of negotiations, he said, “is a responsibility that weighs on Russia. It should understand that there must be now the earliest possible resumption of negotiations.”
Turkey intervened militarily in the northwestern Syrian border-town of Jarablus on Wednesday, using tanks, artillery, jet fighters and special forces to cover the advance of Free Syrian Army (FSA) militiamen against ISIS there.
The US Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook also told reporters on Thursday that the Turkish operation is an “important milestone” in the war against ISIS.
“Combined with the success of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in freeing Manbij from ISIL, this is another important milestone in the military campaign,” Cook said.
However, Turkey opposes the continued presence of Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) members who have been fighting under the banner of the SDF and has demanded they withdrawal back to the eastern side of the Euphrates.
Cook pointed out that while some have returned as agreed there are still “elements” in Manbij who are conducting “the difficult, dangerous task of removing IEDs from the city.”
