Damascus Slams US-Turkey Safe Zone Deal as 'Blatant Attack' on Syria's Sovereignty

“Syria categorically and blatantly rejects the agreement […] on the establishment of a so-called safe zone”, the state-run SANA news agency cited an unnamed Syrian foreign ministry source as saying on Thursday.

The source also argued that “Syria's Kurds who have accepted to become a tool in this aggressive US-Turkish project bear a historical responsibility in this regard”.

The Syrian foreign ministry also slammed the deal as “a gross violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria”, which violates the principles of international law and the UN charter.

According to Damascus, the deal represents "a dangerous escalation and a threat to peace and stability" in the area.

The statement comes after Turkish and US officials clinched a deal on Wednesday to establish a “joint operations centre” aimed at creating a safe zone in Northern Syria to grapple with tensions between Ankara and a Washington-backed Kurdish militia.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his part, welcomed the agreement, saying that “it was important that a step be taken east of the Euphrates [River] and this is being taken together with the Americans”.

“With the creation of the operations centre, the process will begin”, he pointed out, in an apparent reference to the creation of a safe zone in Northern Syria.

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