The UN Security Council has held a closed-door session on Turkey's military operation in Syria, upon a call by the European members; the UK, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland.

 

The council members did not agree on a statement condemning the operation despite efforts by the European members.

 

Kelly Craft, the US ambassador, said after the meeting that the US does not endorse the operation and warned Turkey that it will "face consequences if it does not play by the rules," echoing President Donald Trump's words earlier in the day.

 

While not condemning the operation, Craft urged Ankara to "protect vulnerable populations" and guarantee that ISIS cannot exploit the situation to reconstitute.

 

The "Operation Peace Spring" began on Wednesday (October 9), following the withdrawal of the US soldiers from their posts in northern Syria after a phone call between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Trump.

 

The five council members from Europe, joined by Estonia, released a joint statement after the meeting, warning Turkey that European countries will not help efforts for the stabilization and reconstruction of the area after the military operation.

 

Turkey says the goal of the operation to clear the area from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it sees as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and to establish a "safe zone" to resettle millions of Syrian refugees.

 

"Renewed armed hostilities in the northeast will further undermine the stability of the whole region, exacerbate civilian suffering and provoke further displacements," Germany's Deputy UN Ambassador Jurgen Schulz, reading a statement in the name of the five countries.

 

Vassily Nebenzia, the ambassador of Russia, said that a joint statement should be made on the illegal presence of any country in Syria, apparently referring to the US troops in the country.