Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad denounced Turkish seizing of Syrian territory as a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and UN Security Council resolutions.
In an interview with Sputnik, Haddad said Turkey’s actions in the Syrian province of Idlib, the seizing of Syrian territory, and building of camps to train militants in the area, is a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and UN Security Council resolutions.
“Turkey has also begun the process of seizing new lands by occupying the areas of Kyubat and Atme in the province of Idlib. In this area, Turkish troops have built two camps for the training of militants who have entered into two new terrorist groups. This is not only an outrageous aggression against the sovereignty of the country, but against the people of Syria,” Haddad said.
He specified that in the city of Kessab, in the Latakia province, Turkish troops had entered several villages and cut down 300 pine and oak trees in an area of 15 square kilometers (over 5.5 square miles), destroyed hundreds of olive trees.
“Turkish troops also entered the Dikmadash area in the north of the city of Afrin and occupied higher ground near this city where heavy equipment and armored vehicles are already located. This district belongs to the Jisr al-Shughur district, which in turn is part of the Idlib province. Turkish forces have begun preparing for the construction of a wall that would separate the lands they had seized and our territory,” Haddad said.
According to him, Turkey’s statements about the end of the Euphrates Shield operation are in direct contradiction to what is happening on the ground.
“In practice, the Turkish side has not withdrawn its troops, which are currently in the north of the city of El-Bab, and are trying, with the help of factions that are allies of Turkey, to build a city there. I mean those terrorist groups which are located in the area and, thus, they violate the territorial sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic,” the ambassador said.
