BERLIN, March 21 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has strongly criticized Turkey's military offensive in Syria. "We condemn this in the strongest terms," she said in a government statement in the federal parliament on Wednesday.

Merkel also criticized Russia and Syria with regard to the attacks in eastern Ghouta.

What is happening in Syrian Afrin, "where thousands of civilians are persecuted, die or have to flee", is unacceptable despite Turkey's security interests, the German chancellor said, adding that "This too, we condemn in the strongest terms".

Until now the German government has reacted only cautiously to the Turkish offensive in Syria. Last week, a spokesman for the Foreign Office expressed "serious concerns" about Turkey's actions. This applied "especially to the protection of the civilian population and also to access for humanitarian aid", the spokesman said.

So far, the German government has not made an assessment of the initiative under international law while Turkey has argued that the attack was an act of self-defense.