Erdoğan, Merkel discuss Syria, Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss Syria and Libya, an official statement said on Jan. 6.

According to the statement issued by Turkey's Directorate of Communications, the two leaders also addressed the bilateral relations and regional developments.

In November, Ankara and Tripoli's U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord signed two separate agreements, one on military cooperation and the other on maritime boundaries of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, the Turkish parliament on Jan. 2 ratified a motion authorizing the government to send troops to Libya.

Separately in Syria, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on Oct. 9 to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from 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.

The operation has been paused following two deals with Russia and the U.S. to allow terrorists to withdraw from the region.

The U.S.-backed SDF, a group dominated by the YPG, has been controlling some 28 percent of the Syrian territories, including the most of the 911-kilometer-long Syria-Turkey border.

Turkey deems the YPG the Syrian offshoot of the illegal PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization also by the United States and the EU.

Germany,