PM assures Erdogan of Pakistan’s support on Syria operation

• Imran says Pakistan is hopeful that “Turkey’s efforts for regional security and stability are fully successful.
• People of Pakistan are looking forward to accord warm welcome to President Erdogan on his visit: PM.
• Turkey launched a military operation in Syria after US forces pulled back from the area.

(Karachi) Prime Minister Imran Khan telephoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday and assured him of Pakistan’s “full support and solidarity” over Turkey’s ongoing operation against Kurdish forces in Syria.

The PM told Erdogan that Pakistan “fully understands Turkey’s concerns relating to terrorism”, according to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office.

“As a country which has lost more than 70,000 lives due to terrorism and borne the burden of more than 3 million refugees for decades, Pakistan is fully aware of the threats and challenges being faced by Turkey having lost 40,000 of its people to terrorism,” the premier said.

“Like always, Pakistan stands in full support and solidarity with Turkey.”

He said Pakistan is hopeful that “Turkey’s efforts for regional security and stability are fully successful.”

PM Imran added that the government and people of Pakistan are looking forward to accord a warm welcome to President Erdogan, who will be visiting Islamabad later this month.

Turkey launched a military operation in northeastern Syria after US forces pulled back from the area, with a series of air strikes hitting Kurdish-controlled border towns.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign on Wednesday, which followed an abrupt decision on Sunday by US President Donald Trump that American troops would step aside to allow for the operation.

Trump's move represented a shift in US policy that essentially abandoned the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which has been supporting Washington in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.