Syria will resist any new Turkish operation: Assad

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian government would resist any new cross-border operation by the Turkish Army in Syria, said President Bashar al-Assad in an interview with Russia Today (RT), a Moscow-based media outlet funded by the Russian government, on Thursday. 

Turkey has recently threatened to launch a new cross-border operation to "clean up" Syria's Tal Rifaat and Manbij. 

"It is within the same framework. If there is an invasion, there will be popular resistance in the first instance. Of course, the Syrian army is not deployed in all the Syrian territory, but in the areas where it is deployed, and when conditions allow for direct military confrontation, we will not hesitate," Assad said. 

"This was the case two and a half years ago when there was a clash between the Syrian and Turkish armies, and the Syrian army destroyed some Turkish targets that had moved into Syrian territories," he added. "The same will happen again in as much as the military capabilities will allow." 

Assad said that his government wants to "liberate" areas "occupied by the Turks."

Russia and the US have warned Ankara against launching a new military operation in northern Syria. 

On Tuesday, the General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they are ready to "coordinate with the forces of the Damascus government to thwart any potential Turkish attack and protect Syrian territories."

Read More: SDF ready to coordinate with Syrian government to thwart potential Turkish attack

In October 2019, Syrian government forces entered Tal Tamr and other towns under a Russia-backed agreement with the SDF following a Turkish offensive in the area.

There are also Syrian government forces based in Manbij and Tal Rifaat.