Turkey informs 'Syrian opposition coalition' of need to leave: Sputnik

• 

Informed sources told Sputnik on Tuesday that a Turkish intelligence service "informed the members of the so-called 'Syrian Opposition Coalition' of the need to leave the Turkish territories by the end of this year."

Read: Ankara orders 'Syrian Opposition Coalition' to leave Turkey

The sources added that "this statement, which constitutes a turning point for this [political] entity, whose activities are based in Turkey, came after a political decision that was taken in Turkey recently against the background of the Syrian-Turkish rapprochement under the auspices of Russia."

Sputnik revealed that "President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government decided to close all offices of the opposition coalition in Turkey and to stop funding its members in accordance to a specific timetable that ends by the end of this year at the latest."

The sources added, "A number of members of the Syrian Opposition Coalition were informed by the Turkish security services that they need to find another place to carry out their political activity outside the Turkish territories and to end all political and media activities related to this coalition by the end of this year at the latest."

"Those from the coalition members having Turkish citizenship or permanent residence who wish to stay on the Turkish territories will be allowed to, but without engaging in any political or media activity," the sources confirmed.

Read: US, Turkish occupation of Syria must end: Syrian Defense Minister

In this context, the sources indicated that "the members of the coalition have already begun to search for other options to open offices in some Gulf countries."

Over the past years, Ankara has been securing special offices for the so-called "Syrian Opposition Coalition" on its territory, in addition to providing its members with monthly salaries in addition to a package of other privileges.

Read: Supporters of armed groups attack Turkish checkpoints in Idlib, Aleppo