Exclusive: Ankara Orders Coalition of Syrian Opposition to Leave Turkey
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – In the latest move in a series of efforts to reconsider its relations with Damascus, the Ankara government has called on the coalition of Syrian opposition to leave Turkey, a number of sources say.
Sources have confirmed that while Ankara is trying to reconsider its ties with Damascus, it has urged the Syrian opposition coalition forces to get out of Turkey.
Tasnim news agency’s reporter has learned from sources that in a meeting between a Turkish official and President of the National Coalition of Syrian Opposition ‘Salim al-Muslat’, held last week, the Turkish official has made it clear that Ankara is quite determined to rebuild its relations with Damascus and that the Syrian opposition forces ought to accept reality. As a result, the Syrian opposition forces have to find a replacement country (for migration and relocation) and must halt all of their political and media activities in Turkey.
In recent weeks, the media outlets affiliated with the Syrian opposition have changed their tone on the Ankara government and have used very harsh language to criticize what they call “Turkish racism and violent actions against the Syrian refugees”. Such measures by those media outlets are comparable with the stances adopted by the Turkey-based media affiliated with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, which had changed their tone on Ankara after Turkey ordered their eviction.
According to informed sources, the Syrian side (opposition) has in that meeting agreed on Ankara’s request for them to leave Turkey. Head of the Syrian Opposition Coalition Salim al-Muslat has proposed that they should relocate to Saudi Arabia, but Abdulrahman Mustafa, the head of the Interim Government (the administrative body providing services in the regions placed under mandate of Turkey in northern Syria) has proposed Jordan for migration. However, he has admitted that their activities will be still limited in Jordan.