TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Kurdish official said that the Kurds are now seeking negotiations with Damascus as they resist against Turkey's attacks.
"Turkey has deepened the crisis in Syria and supported terrorism financially. When it failed in its policies, it sent its army to launch attack against Afrin," Fouzeh Yousef, the head of the executive board of democratic federalism in Northern Syria, was quoted as saying by the Arabic-language al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday.
He stressed that the Kurds will stand against Turkey's attacks and occupation of Afrin, noting, "The Syrian Kurds want negotiations with the Syrian government but consider federalism as a better solution."
His remarks came after UN Secretary-General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that the United Nations expresses its deep concern over Turkey's ongoing operation in the Kurdish enclave of Afrin in Northern Syria, which has already claimed lives of civilians and forced about 6,000 of people leave their homes.
The UN representative also added that more than 120,000 displaced people currently reside in the targeted district.
Turkey’s Operation ‘Olive Branch’ kicked off on Saturday from air and ground around the area of Afrin in Syria's Aleppo to oust the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara views as a terror organization and the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK).
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday stressed that Turkish offensive in Afrin is part of Ankara's strategy based on supporting terrorists.
The Syrian government has condemned the “brutal Turkish aggression” against the Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin, rejecting Ankara’s claim about having informed Damascus of the operation.
The Damascus government had made clear to Ankara that it considers Turkey’s military presence on its territory as a violation of its sovereignty, and warned that it will shoot down Turkish bombers in Syrian airspace.