Turkish defense head inspects troops along Syria border

SANLIURFA, TURKEY - OCTOBER 31: Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar along with Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler and Turkish Land Forces Commander Umit Dundar inspect border units in Sanliurfa, Turkey on October 31, 2019. Turkey's defense minister, military chief, and top army commander on Thursday inspected troops near the border in northern Syria, the site of Turkey’s anti-terror Operation Peace Spring.“Nothing is finished yet here, anything could happen,” National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told soldiers in Tal Abyad, Syria, urging them to stand ready.Akar inspected the troops along with Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler and Land Forces Commander Umit Dundar.Akar criticized the lack of international recognition of Turkey’s longstanding efforts against Daesh/ISIS terrorists, saying: “It is a blind ignorance and stubbornness to fail to notice Turkey's fight against Daesh/ISIS.”The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is the only army that fought Daesh/ISIS directly, said Akar.“With Operation Euphrates Shield, Turkey neutralized more than 3,000 Daesh/ISIS terrorists in northern Syria and about 700 in northern Iraq,” he added, referring to a 2016-2017 operation.Foreign media claims that Turkey is using chemical weapons in its ongoing anti-terror operation in northern Syria are baseless, he added.“The Turkish Armed Forces never use chemical weapons. There is no concept, doctrine, or training on this subject,” said Akar.Akar also reiterated that Turkey will not allow the formation of a terror corridor along its border.Ankara on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorist YPG/PKK elements from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.(Footage by Kasim Sakalli/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)