Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will chair the National Security Council, or MGK, on Monday to discuss a military plan for a cross-border military operation into Syrian territory.
There is a growing claim that the General Staff hover on the edge of a ground offensive to send 18,000 troops into Syria as part of Ankara's response to the Syrian Democratic Party's move to claim stronger autonomy. The militia linked with the Syrian Kurdish party PYD, backed by U.S.-led coalition's air strikes, has stepped up its raids over the past recent days to fend off ISIL militia from the areas, it had controlled previously.
The meeting at the Presidential Palace will focus on Ankara's possible responses to the PYD's militiary campaign on the other side of the border. The authorities will discuss a plan to establish a buffer zone, which is 28 to 33 meters wide and 100 kilometers long, in Syria in a response to threats against the country's borders.
A veteran military expert has expressed support for Ankara's plan to set up a buffer zone to protect Syrian teritorial integrity. “Turkey has the power to enter Syria under an agreement which was signed between Turkey and Syria. This agreement gives Turkey an authority to enter Syrian territory, conduct a militiary drill and open fire into Syria," said retired Brigadier Adnan Tanrıverdi.
According to another military expert, the region must be cleaned of terrorists to ensure peace and tranquility. “Turkey wants to interfere into developments in Syria, acting on this understanding. We should particularly convince Iran and Russia to launch this operation," retired colonel İrfan Çalışkan.
After the meeting, the government is expected to release a crucial message to the international community. Turkish officials will urge the West to give a strong response to the terrorist attacks and violence in Syria. They will also emphasize that Ankara will take every kind of step for every situation that has posed a threat for the country's security.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said that a necessary statement about Turkey's posssible offensive in Syria will be released after the MGK meeting. “We have a MGK meeting tomorrow; we will make the necessary announcements afterwards," said Çavuşoğlu on Sunday during his visit to the northern province Ordu's Ünye district.
The minister has neither accepted nor denied any of the claims about the operation.
