The Defense Ministry urged the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate with the central government and pledged sustained support for the Damascus administration.
Regarding the rising tensions in Syria, the Turkish Defense Ministry said: “It is critically important for the SDF to initiate integration by unconditionally complying with the March 10 and January 18 agreements in order to ensure lasting stability in Syria.”
In a weekly press conference on Jan. 22, the Ministry spokesperson said that Ankara supports the protection of Syria's territorial integrity in line with the principle of a single state and a single army, adding that support for the Damascus administration's fight against terrorism and efforts to enhance its defense capabilities will continue.
The Ministry interpreted the removal of the Turkish flag during protests along the border in Nusaybin as an “organized provocation targeting the sensitivities of the Turkish nation.”
Ministry officials said that 93 percent of the tunnels identified in Manbij, Syria, had been destroyed and that, with the destruction of a five-kilometer tunnel in the past week, the total length of tunnels destroyed had reached 752 kilometers.
