European Parliament demands Turkish withdrawal from Afrin

A draft resolution of the European Parliament calls on the Turkish government to withdraw its troops from Afrin, Deutsche Welle reported on Wednesday.

The motion, which will be put to the vote at European Parliament on Thursday, declares that the European Parliament is “seriously worried about the escalating situation in Afrin”.

Turkish invasion “added a new dimension to the conflict in Syria, raising additional humanitarian concerns,” as well worries over its effect on the “delicate internal balances in Syria” and the chances of negotiating a settlement of the conflict, European Parliament’s draft read.

The draft also highlighted the danger of civilian casualties, saying that hundreds of more deaths could be added to the “high number of civilian casualties” already reported in the operation, which it warned could lead to “further deterioration of the country’s humanitarian crisis.”

The European Parliament is particularly worried that Turkey’s presence in Afrin could leave to “confrontation between Turkish forces and Assad or Russian forces.” Turkey and pro-Assad forces already reportedly came to blows in February when Turkey bombarded militias sent to bolster the defense of Afrin.

“The opening of new fronts in Syria is not in the interest of Turkey’s security,” the draft read.