As Turkish troops prepare to invade the Kurdish autonomous areas in northeast Syria, Left MEP Özlem Demirel (DIE LINKE, Germany) appealed for urgent efforts to put a stop to the threat.

“The European Union and the international community must condemn in the strongest terms this aggressive and dangerous assault by Turkey and use all diplomatic and economic means to stop the invasion!”

Demirel, vice-chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, debunked Turkish justifications for yet another intervention into Syria’s long-drawn and bloody conflict where civilians have paid the highest price:

“The Turkish invasion of Syria’s north violates international law. President Erdogan’s real concern is neither to free the area from alleged terrorists nor to create a security zone for refugee Syrians. Rather, he is concerned with domestic and foreign policy considerations.  His goal is to destroy the Kurdish-led self-government in the region and increase Turkish influence in the reorganisation of Syria,” Demirel concluded.