Turkey says France ‘cannot give lessons’ over Syria

ISTANBUL: Turkey yesterday told France to refrain from giving “lessons” over its campaign in Syria, where Ankara is pressing a fierce offensive against Kurdish militia, reports AFP. The warning from Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron told Ankara that it would be a “real problem” if its intervention turned into an outright “invasion”. “France cannot give us lessons on this issue,” Cavusoglu told reporters in televised comments. “We are not France, which occupied Africa,” Cavusoglu added, referring to France’s colonial past. Turkey launched an offensive on January 20 against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week threatening to expand the operation, straining relations with Ankara’s NATO allies. Turkey says the YPG is a terror organisation allied to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Turkey says France cannot give lessons over Syria

ISTANBUL: Turkey yesterday told France to refrain from giving lessons over its campaign in Syria, where Ankara is pressing a fierce offensive against Kurdish militia, reports AFP. The warning from Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu came a day after French President Emmanuel Macron told Ankara that it would be a real problem if its intervention turned into an outright invasion. France cannot give us lessons on this issue, Cavusoglu told reporters in televised comments. We are not France, which occupied Africa, Cavusoglu added, referring to Frances colonial past. Turkey launched an offensive on January 20 against the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week threatening to expand the operation, straining relations with Ankaras NATO allies. Turkey says the YPG is a terror organisation allied to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).