Jens Stoltenberg, NATO secretary general arrived Istanbul, will meet Turkish foreign minister

The secretary general of Nato Jens Stoltenberg arrived Istanbul and will meet the Turkish foreign minister over the invasion of Syrian Territories by Turkey which most of the NATO memebers and EU have voiced opposition.

Barzan Sadiq@BarzanSadiq
The secretary general of #Nato Jens Stoltenberg arrived #Istanbul and will meet the #Turkish foreign minister.

Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg will visit Turkey on Friday, the alliance said in a statement, according to Anadolu Agency.

Stoltenberg will travel to Rome on Wednesday, to Athens on Thursday, and Istanbul on Friday, the statement said.

NATO said the details of Stoltenberg’s meetings with senior Turkish officials will be announced later.

Turkey on Wednesday 9th Octomber 2019 launched a major military operation in northeast Syria which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says is aimed at removing Kurdish-led forces from the border area and creating a "safe zone" so millions of Syrian refugees can be returned.

Heavy clashes between Turkish forces and the SDF are ongoing in the Syrian border towns.

The Syria Democratic Forces, led by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), has appealed to the US and its allies for a "no-fly zone" to protect it from Turkish air attacks.  Turkey considers the YPG a "terrorist" group.

However, NATO chief urged Turkey to show "restraint" as the country continued its offensive.

In a news conference in Athens, Stoltenberg called on Turkey to ensure its actions in the region were "measured and proportionate." Adding that the offensive would add difficulty in finding a political solution to end Syria's long civil war.