ISTANBUL, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that he discussed the ceasefire issue in Syria's Eastern Ghouta region with French President Emmanuel Macron over the phone.
"We have scrutinized the issue with Mr. Macron in detail," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul before leaving for a five-day visit to Africa.
The UN Security Council on Saturday adopted a resolution demanding a ceasefire for at least 30 days across Syria to allow humanitarian access and urgent medical evacuations.
Erdogan said that despite the UN decision, ceasefire was not implemented in Eastern Ghouta, a besieged rebel-held district east of the Syrian capital of Damascus.
"The process is going on with all its brutality there," the Turkish leader said.
A day earlier, the Turkish government argued that the Security Council resolution did not cover Turkey's ongoing military operation in Syria's Afrin on the grounds that "it is being conducted against terrorists."
Turkey launched its military offensive against Afrin on Jan. 20 with a view to driving out Kurdish militia known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), which is regarded by Ankara as a terror group allied with the Kurdistan Workers' Party fighting against the Turkish state.
According to the French presidency, Macron told Erdogan that "the humanitarian truce applies to all of Syria, including Afrin, and should be implemented everywhere and by all without any delay to stop the ongoing spiral of violence."
Erdogan said "UN Resolution 2401 is related to a process that comprehends the ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta in Syria."
According to Resolution 2401, the ceasefire does not apply to military operations against the Islamic State, al-Qaida and Al Nusra Front and their associates, and other terrorist groups as designated by the Security Council.
The United States has trained and armed the YPG as a reliable ground force against the Islamic State, infuriating Turkey and chilling bilateral ties.
