(MENAFN) Russia hopes Turkey will return Afrin under the Syrian government control, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday, Sputnik reported.
"[Turkish] President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan has never said that Turkey wants to occupy Afrin," Lavrov said.
He went on to say: "we always proceed from the fact that the easiest way to normalize the situation in Afrin now that Turkish representatives say that the main goals they set there have been achieved would be to return the territory under the control of the Syrian government."
Turkey-backed FSA militia swept into Afrin town on Mar. 18, raising their and Turkish flags in the town center and declaring full control after launching Operation Olive Branch on January 20 to drive out Kurdish YPG fighters.
MENAFN0904201800450000ID1096712308
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.