Turkish PM: No change in ‘Operation Euphrates Shield’

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Saturday that his country is continuing its "Operation Euphrates Shield" in which the Turkish army invaded northern Syria and started establishing a security zone. "Our efforts to set up a safe zone in Syria will continue until the Turkish border’s safety is maintained and threats against Turkey are eliminated," he said. The statement, saying that as far as Turkey is concerned there is no change in the situation and its military will continue fighting in northern Syria, makes entire sections of the Russian-US ceasefire deal meaningless. DEBKAfile reported on Saturday that the new agreement has no significance as long as the Turkish military operation continues, and that the Syrian rebels now find themselves trapped by the Russian-Turkish agreement and the Russian-US agreement.