Turkey Says Syria Ceasefire Is Not Binding If It Threatens Security

“It must be known that the ceasefire is valid in Syria”, Davutoglu said in televised remarks in the central Anatolian province of Konya.

The ceasefire aims to reduce violence in Syria with the hope of bringing back representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition to the negotiating table in Geneva for talks on a political transition. Ahmet Davutoglu has accused Russian Federation of striking the moderate opposition in Syria over the past five months under the guise of hitting militants.

For his part, Assad has steadfastly maintained, since the start of the civil war in 2011, that his opponents are terrorists and that his army is fighting to save the country from radical Islamism.

The truce would include Syrian government and opposition forces but not the Islamic State group or the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front.

The United States and European Union should pressure Turkey to focus on the fight against ISIS, not S.D.F. and Y.P.G., if Turkey is truly committed to protecting the Syrian people from Assad’s repression and ISIS terror.

Speaking in a conference call with journalists, he said Moscow was doing its part and is expecting the United States to also do its part to make sure the groups they support adhere to the cease-fire.

“Kurds may live within the borders of different states but they have mutual, cultural, emotional links”, said Kisanak.

She said that the problem in applying this agreement lies in the US intention and whether it really wants to join Russian Federation in combating terrorism in Syria and wants to put an end to the bloodshed along with finding a political solution, referring to the doubts that have emerged regarding the latest statements of the US Secretary of State John Kerry.

It is not clear exactly where along Syria’s complicated front lines the fighting would stop and for how long – or where counterterrorism operations could continue.

“The ceasefire is not binding for us when there is a situation that threatens Turkey’s security, we will take necessary measures against both the YPG [People’s Protection Units] and Daesh [Arabic acronym for Islamic State] when we feel the need to”, Davutoglu said to CNN Turk.

The Syrian government has agreed to the plan. However, he also said the ceasefire should not pave the way for new attacks.

Turkey has played a key role in supplying insurgents in Syria.

A top Turkish presidential aide says Ankara is concerned over Russian bombings and Syrian forces’ ground operations ahead of a truce due to go into effect at midnight Friday.

“And it seems to me, the United States, if we’re going to work with the PYD or any group that’s associated with an enemy of Turkey – it has to prove its bonafides”, he said.