Putin, Erdogan discuss Turkish operation in northern Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed Ankara's military operation in northern Syria over the phone, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

"Putin called on Turkish partners to carefully weigh the situation so as not to damage the overall efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis," the Kremlin said in a press release.

"Both sides noted the importance of ensuring the unity and territorial integrity of Syria and respect for its sovereignty," it read.

Earlier in the day, Erdogan announced that his country had launched a military operation in northern Syria against the Kurdish forces that Ankara considers terrorists and separatists.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)