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Annalena Baerbock at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Romania
Photo: ROBERT GHEMENT / EPA
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) fears a further escalation of violence in the region if Turkey launches a ground offensive against Kurds in northern Syria.
She called for "refraining from measures that would further drive the spiral of violence - such as a possible ground offensive in northern Syria or military action in northern Iraq," said Baerbock after the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Bucharest
"Our main goal is to protect civilians," Baerbock said.
"And international law applies here - also with regard to protection against terrorism".
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu said Turkey expects support from its allies.
"You can't portray terrorists as victims."
Turkey began attacking hundreds of Kurdish targets in northern Syria and northern Iraq on November 20.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan later also threatened a ground offensive.
Turkey has been trying for years to set up a "buffer zone" in the Kurdish area on its border with Syria and to expel the Kurdish units from there.
A few days before the start of the Turkish military offensive, six people were killed in an attack in Istanbul.
Turkey blames Kurdish rebels for the crime.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as well as the banned Kurdish Workers' Party PKK in Syria and Iraq have declared that they are not responsible for the bomb attack.
asa/AFP
