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Turkey military operations in Syria aim to topple Assad: Press TV poll

This file photo shows Turkish soldiers with tanks in the outskirts of Suruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, overlooking the Kurdish city of Kobani in Syria.

An overwhelming 70% majority of respondents to a Press TV survey believe that Turkey wants to turn northern Syria into a militant hub in a bid to topple the legitimate government of President Bashar al-Assad.

According to the online poll conducted from August 13-30, some 7,514, or 70 percent, from a total of 10,672 respondents said Turkey's real motive behind its military operation against the the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Daesh militants is to "turn the north of Syria into a militant hub, paving the way for toppling the Syrian government." 

Moreover, 21 percent of the voters thought the Turkish government engaged in its alleged anti-PKK and anti-Daesh military operations are aimed at hindering any effort for the "establishment of a new Kurdish entity on its southern borders."

According to the poll, nine percent of those surveyed believed that Ankara follows "no strategic goal" for the bombing campaigns against the PKK and Daesh.

Turkey recently launched airstrikes allegedly against the bases of the PKK in northern Iraq as well as Daesh positions in Syria after a deadly bomb attack which left 32 people dead in the southwestern town of Suruc, across the border from the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani.

However, numerous media reports have revealed that Ankara, on the other hand, actively supports and arms Daesh militants in Syria, and also facilitates the safe passage of would-be foreign terrorists into its crisis-hit neighboring country.  

Daesh militants have long enjoyed the support of not only Turkey, but also, the other US allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Earlier this year, the United States and Turkey inked an agreement to train and arm what they call "moderate" militants in Syria.    

Since September 2014, the US along with some of its regional allies has been conducting airstrikes against what is said to be Daesh positions inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate. The airstrikes in Syria are an extension of the US-led aerial campaign against the purported Daesh positions in Iraq, which started in August 2014.  


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir

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