EU urges Turkey to show restraint in Syria military offensive

The EU on Friday urged Turkey to show restraint in its military operation against Kurdish militia in northern Syria, telling Ankara its efforts should focus on Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). The EU’s diplomatic chief, Federica Mogherini, said it recognized Turkey faced real security concerns, but echoed US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s call for Ankara not to go over the top in its response, AFP reported. EU foreign ministers had raised the offensive with Turkish European Affairs Minister Omer Celik, who joined them at a meeting in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. “We have expressed… concern about first of all the civilian casualties, about the humanitarian consequences of this military operation,” Mogherini said.