Assad Regime will ‘face consequences’ if it reaches agreement with YPG, Erdoğan tells Putin

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Turkish army will “continue its advance towards Afrin with determination,” warning that the Syrian regime’s attempts to enter the enclave will bring about unwanted consequences.

Erdoğan and Putin spoke on the phone on Feb. 19 after news broke that the Syrian army and the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) had agreed that the latter would leave control of Afrin to the regime forces.

However, the Turkish president reportedly voiced Ankara’s commitment to “clear Afrin of terrorists” and vowed that “Operation Olive Branch” will continue as planned.

“If Syria opts for such a move, there will be consequences,” Erdoğan reportedly told his Russian counterpart.

Turkish presidential sources say Putin said he was “not in a position to confirm an agreement” between the Syrian regime and the YPG in Afrin, while “reiterating Moscow’s understanding” over Turkey’s military operation into Afrin.

The two leaders also reviewed the situation in the rebel-held province of Idlib, where Turkey recently established three new monitoring posts as part of an agreed “de-escalation agreement.”