February 20, 2018•Update: February 20, 2018
By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA
The Turkish military will clear Syria's Afrin region of terrorists "no matter the consequences", opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said Tuesday.
"Turkish soldiers will enter Afrin, and our flag [...] will go up on a flagpole towards the height it deserves," Bahceli told his party’s parliamentary group.
He said Turkey would stamp out terror from Afrin regardless of U.S.' conduct.
"Whatever they do, whatever tricks they play, Afrin will definitely be cleared of terrorists," he said.
"There is no way out from this, there is no escape from this."
On Jan. 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch to clear YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists from Afrin.
According to the Turkish General Staff, the operation aims to establish security and stability along Turkey’s borders and the region as well as protect Syrians from oppression and cruelty of terrorists.
The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey's rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defense rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria's territorial integrity, it said.
The military also said only terror targets were being destroyed and that "utmost care" was being taken to not harm civilians.
Bahceli warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about his potential support for the YPG/PKK-Daesh in Afrin region.
"If he enters Afrin and stands with the PKK/PYD/YPG, he will suffer the consequences," the opposition party head said.
He reiterated the stance that Turkey respected the territorial integrity of Syria over which "we do not have any doubt and hesitation.
"Turkey is not a part of a war in Syria, but it is in a justified war against terrorism," he said.
He slammed the Syrian administration for criticizing Turkey of "occupying" Afrin.
"This is just delirium and madness," he said.
On Monday, the Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported that pro-regime "Popular Forces" would be entering Afrin despite the fact that a Turkish military operation to remove YPG/PKK-Daesh terrorists' remains ongoing there.
The terrorist organization YPG/PKK-Daesh is said to have held talks with the Syrian regime after more than 70 different strategic areas were liberated during Turkey's Operation Olive Branch since its launch.
