Turkey: High advisory board discusses FETO, Syria op

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA (AA) - The high advisory board of Turkish presidency held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the regional and international reactions on Turkey's anti-terror operation in Syria and its fight against Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

In the meeting, the board members emphasized that attitudes or behaviors that have the potential to weaken the struggle against FETO -- the group behind 2016 defeated coup in Turkey -- will never be allowed.

In a statement following the meeting, Turkey’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun noted that the decisive struggle against FETO would never be compromised.

"Mr. President [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] stressed that the main purpose of three important operations carried out in Syria in the last three years is the fight against terrorist organizations, especially the PKK/YPG and Daesh," Altun said.

Altun stated that the advisory board members emphasized Turkey has suffered the brunt of the refugee crisis and the country blocked individuals from heading to the region to join terrorist organizations.

"Turkey came face to face with accusations that it does not deserve and the heavy pressures on Turkey in the international arena increased with Operation Peace Spring," Altun added.

Altun said the meeting discussed the use of strategic communication channels, soft-power elements and parliamentary diplomacy tools to inform the international community about Turkey's legitimate fight against terror and to battle the fiercest smear campaigns targeting the country.