Arab League condemns Turkish offensive

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit led Arab foreign ministers in lambasting Turkey’s military operation in northeast Syria as an “invasion of an Arab country and an aggression on its sovereignty”.

Iran Prass/Middle East: Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Al-Hakim, president of the current Arab League session, also condemned Turkey’s military incursion into Syria during an emergency meeting of the body, called by Egypt.

Al-Hakim said: "The Turkish offensive will exacerbate humanitarian crises, increase the suffering of the Syrian people, and strengthen the ability of terrorists to reorganise their remnants,” Reuters reported.

Al-Hakim and Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil called on the Arab League to readmit Syria into the organisation, and allow it to become a member once again.

On Wednesday, Turkey began an air and ground offensive into northeastern Syria against Kurdish militia, opening a new front in the eight-year-old Syrian civil war which has raised the prospect of a new humanitarian disaster in the country.

Turkey had been poised to enter northeast Syria since US President Donald Trump ordered American troops to pull out of Syria.

The UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash also condemned the Turkish military incursion.

“We call for the exit of Turkey and its forces, as well as all foreign forces that have violated this Arab country - and to push for a successful political solution in Syria,” Gargash said. 101/211/204

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