Syria

Turkey will not give up on its rightful cause despite sanction threats or condemnations on its ongoing anti-terror operation in northern Syria, the country's presidential spokesman said on Oct. 16.

International humanitarian organizations have ceased operations and have evacuated all associates in northeast Syria after the start of the Turkish military operation. Humanitarian aid supplies have also been cut off, according to the self-proclaimed Kurdish Autonomous Territory, quoted by RIA Novosti.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio confirmed on Tuesday that Rome will ban arms export to Turkey, after Ankara launched a military attack against Kurdish fighters in the northern part of Syria.
"The solution to the Syria crisis must be diplomatic not military," he told parliament.

Turkish prosecutors on Oct. 14 began an inquiry into an opposition deputy accused of denigrating the Republic of Turkey in the middle of an anti-terrorist operation in Syria, said a judicial source.

New developments have complicated the situation in Syria. Kurdish officials have announced they have reached an agreement with Bashar al-Assad's government forces. The Syrian army marched north against Turkey's offensive in Kurdish-populated areas. This creates the risk of even greater conflict and direct clash between Syria and Turkey.

The Turkish operation aims to establish a security zone by pushing Kurds out of those areas. However, the Kurds have concluded an agreement with Bashar Assad's army for joint action against the Turkish army. This was commented on by Yordan Bozhilov, chairman of the Sofia Security Forum, on BNT.

Washington didn't give Turkey a "green light" for its operation in Syria, contrary to some allegations, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with BBC TV, TASS reported.

Turkey launched a land operation in northern Syria late last night. Strikes were made on 181 military targets, according to the Turkish Ministry of Defense.

Jihadist prison has also been defeated, according to a Kurdish-led coalition in northeast Syria.

Turkish parliament ratifies document extending military mandate for operations in Syria and Iraq until October 30, 2020, Daily Sabah reports.

The decision comes after the National Defense Ministry announced earlier in the same that Turkey had completed all preparations for a military operation in the area east of the Euphrates River in Syria to establish a safe zone.

The U.S. military has effectively shut Turkey off on Oct. 7 from the air space in northeastern Syria, taking a series of actions that
reduce the possibility that Turkish jets could support a planned military operation there.