Russia urges Turkey not to launch offensive in northern Syria

Russia urged Turkey not to launch an offensive in northern Syria after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed threats of a military campaign targeting Kurdish “terrorists”.

“Such a move, in the absence of the agreement of the legitimate government of the Syrian Arab Republic, would be a direct violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and would “cause a further escalation of tensions in Syria”, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Thursday.