NEW DELHI: India on Thursday said it was "deeply concerned" over the "unilateral
military offensive
" by
Turkey
in northeastern
Syria
and asserted that the action can undermine stability in the region as well as the fight against
terrorism.
On Wednesday, Turkish jets and artillery
targeted Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria , forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes.
Reacting to the development, MEA said: "We are deeply concerned at the unilateral military offensive by Turkey in northeast Syria."
Turkey's actions can undermine stability in the region and the fight against terrorism, it said.
The action also has the potential for causing humanitarian and civilian distress, the MEA said in a statement.
"We call upon Turkey to exercise restraint and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. We urge the peaceful settlement of all issues through dialogue and discussion," the MEA said.
Turkish ground forces seized at least one village from Kurdish fighters in northern Syria as they pressed ahead with their assault Thursday, launching airstrikes and unleashing artillery shelling on towns and villages the length of its border.
The Turkish invasion, now in its second day, has been widely condemned around the world. In northern Syria, residents of border areas scrambled in panic as they tried to get out on foot, in cars and with rickshaws piled with mattresses and a few belongings.
It was wrenchingly familiar for the many who only a few years ago, had fled the advances on their towns and villages by the Islamic State group.
A Kurdish-led group and Syrian activists claimed Thursday that despite the heavy barrage, Turkish troops had not made much progress on several fronts they had opened over the past hours. But their claims could not be independently verified and the situation on the ground was difficult to assess.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that 109 "terrorists" were killed since Ankara launched the offensive into Syria the previous day, a reference to the US-allied Syrian Kurdish fighters. He did not elaborate, and the reports on the ground did not indicate anything remotely close to such a large number of casualties.
(With inputs from other agencies)
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