Turkish invasion must stop, all foreign troops must leave Syria: Assad

During a meeting with a Russian delegation headed by the Kremlin’s special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, in Damascus on Friday, Assad said efforts must be directed at ending Operation Peace Spring and the pullout of all illegal forces, including the Turkish and American soldiers, from Syrian territories since they are considered occupying forces under international conventions.

The Syrian people are entitled to resistance by all available means, Assad said.

Turkish jets kill civilians; clashes continue despite truceTurkish airstrikes kill at least five civilians while sporadic clashes continue with Kurdish forces despite a truce agreed between Ankara and Washington in northeast Syria.

On Thursday, the Syrian leader said Damascus would give an appropriate response to the ground offensive by Turkish soldiers and allied Takfiri militants against Kurdish fighters in the region.

“No matter what false slogans could be made up for the Turkish offensive, it is a flagrant invasion and aggression. Syria has frequently hit (Turkish-backed) proxies and terrorists in more than one place. Syria will respond to the assault and confront it anywhere within the Syrian territory through all legitimate means available,” Assad told the visiting Iraqi National Security Adviser Falih al-Fayyadh in Damascus.

Assad: Syria will respond to Turkish military invasionPresident Assad says Syria will respond to the Turkish aggression anywhere in the war-battered country by all legitimate means available.

An unnamed source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry on the same day condemned the “treacherous Turkish aggression.”