Turkish anti-terror op irks German club St. Pauli

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - German football club St. Pauli criticized their Turkish player's supportive message for the Turkish army conducting an anti-terror operation in Syria on Friday.

"On Thursday, Cenk Sahin put a post on his private Instagram account about the deployment of the Turkish army in Syria. FC St. Pauli wishes to distance itself clearly from the post and its content because it is not compatible with the club's values," St. Pauli said on their website.

"The club has already spoken to the player and is going over the matter internally. No further comment will be made until this process has been completed. No more wars!," it added.

Sahin, 25, voiced support on Instagram for Turkey's Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria to eliminate terror elements in the region.

"We are standing by our heroic Mehmetcik [Turkish soldiers] and army. Our prayers are with you!" Sahin said.

Turkey on Wednesday launched Operation Peace Spring east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria to secure its borders by eliminating terrorist elements and to ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees and Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants to eliminate terrorist elements from the PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the PYD/YPG.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.