MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Turkey is highly unlikely to participate directly in military operation in Yemen and will limit its involvement to providing logistical support to Saud-led coalition at the very most, Member of Turkish Republican Party (CHP) Osman Faruk Logoglu told Sputnik Monday.
On March 26, Saudi Arabia and a number of other Gulf countries started carrying out airstrikes against the positions of Yemen’s main opposition force – the Houthi militants. Soon after the beginning of the military campaign, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey may consider providing logistical support to the coalition.
“I don’t think that Turkey will take direct part in Yemeni conflict… No matter how the situation in Yemen unfolds, Turkish participation in this country will be limited with logistical support – and no more than that,” Logoglu, who is also former Turkish Ambassador to the United States, said, adding that Turkey refrained from direct interference in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
“But situation in Yemen developed under a different scenario. Saudi Arabia continue conducting airstrikes and Iran sent two warships to the gulf of Aden. But this is not a solution to current situation,” Logoglu said.
The Turkish parliamentarian added that in his point of view the conflict in Yemen can only be solved by diplomatic efforts and talks with participation of Turkey, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Yemen is currently seeing violent clashes between Houthi militants and troops loyal to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
Late in March, Hadi asked the Arab League for military aid and, following his request, a Saudi Arabia-led coalition began hitting Houthi positions in Yemen with airstrikes.
