Kurds residing in those areas are mostly characterized as patriotic, Syrian President Bashar Assad told Al Ekhbariya and Suria TV channels on Thursday, Eurasia Diary reports citing TASS.
The Russian-Turkish memorandum signed in Sochi has allowed to contain Turkey's expansion and prevented US interference, Assad noted. "Russia strictly adheres to the principle of preserving Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.
He added that the Syrian army has entered northeastern provinces to defend them and to restore government control there. "Kurds residing in those areas are mostly characterized as patriotic, and the reaction to the arrival of Syrian forces was positive," Assad said.
"Terrorists from Al-Qaeda [terrorist organization banned in Russia] and Ahrar al-Sham group are linked to the Turkish regime, they are close to [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan who sent them to fight in Syria," Assad said. He added that if militants refuse to lay down arms, a military operation will inevitably be launched against them.