Afrin to be handed over to its real owners: Turkish FM

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet

ANKARA

Turkish foreign minister on Friday said the Afrin region in Syria would be handed over to Syrians once it was cleared from terrorists through Operation Olive Branch.

"After clearing them [terrorists], we will hand the region over to its real owners; namely, we will hand it over to Syrians," Mevlut Cavusoglu said at an event in southern Antalya.

Cavusoglu also slammed the U.S. over its “double-faced” actions, providing arms to PYD/PKK terrorists and expressing concern for civilians as well as the length of the operation.

"Do not be double-faced, be honest," Cavusoglu said.

He added that it is not possible to find a political solution with terrorist groups.

"From wherever terror threat comes, from Afrin [Syria], Sinjar [Iraq], Qandil [Iraq], Manbij [Syria] or Euphrates River's east, we will intervene and destroy it," the foreign minister said.

He stated that Turkey is the most sensitive country when it comes to civilians, refugees and their rights.

“We host 3.5 million Syrians and Iraqis in our country. We never said ‘it is enough now’,” he said and noted that the U.S. does not even contribute to Turkey’s spending on humanitarian issues but it still reminds them of the issues.

In a speech on Jan. 11, Cavusoglu stated that Turkey spent $30 billion to meet the needs of the refugees.