Turkey-Backed Syria Forces Aim to Push on Against Kurdish Groups
5 days, 22 hours ago

Turkey-Backed Syria Forces Aim to Push on Against Kurdish Groups

Live Mint  

-- Turkey-backed forces are aiming to capture more territory in northern Syria from Kurdish groups, according to Turkish officials familiar with the matter, a move that could stir tensions with the US. The SNA will likely try to capture areas to the west of Ayn al-Arab, also known as Kobani by its mostly Kurdish inhabitants, said the people, who aren’t authorized to speak publicly. The SNA has seized two northwestern towns since late November from the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish group that has been a key ally in the US’s fight against Islamic State. Turkey’s ultimate goal is for the SNA to capture the entire Syria-Turkey border area that runs for more than 900 kilometers to Iraq, though that will prove tough, the people said.

Syria Islamic State Turkey Turkish Forces Erdogan Sna Hts Kurdish Groups Kobani  capture  islamic  turkeybacked  hts  push  sna  forces  kurdish  groups  aim  kobani  syria  syrian  turkey  turkish

History of this topic

Erdogan urges end of foreign support for Kurdish fighters in Syria
4 days, 12 hours ago

Erdogan urges end of foreign support for Kurdish fighters in Syria

Al Jazeera  

Turkish president compares Kurdish YPG fighters to ISIL and says neither group has a future in Syria. Turkiye expects foreign countries to withdraw support for Kurdish fighters in Syria after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says, as Germany warns against an escalation in fighting with Kurdish forces. Security for Kurds ‘essential’ Later on Friday, German Foreign …

Turkiye won't halt Syria military activity until Kurd fighters 'disarm'
4 days, 18 hours ago

Turkiye won't halt Syria military activity until Kurd fighters 'disarm'

The Hindu  

Ankara will push ahead with its military preparations until Kurdish fighters "disarm", a defence ministry source said Thursday, stressing Turkiye faces an ongoing threat along its border with northern Syria. "Until the PKK/YPG terrorist organisation disarms and its foreign fighters leave Syria, our preparations and measures will continue within the scope of the fight against terrorism." But Turkiye believes Syria's …

Turkiye refutes US claims of ceasefire with Syrian Kurdish fighters
5 days, 12 hours ago

Turkiye refutes US claims of ceasefire with Syrian Kurdish fighters

Al Jazeera  

Ankara vows to continue operations in northern Syria as fears grow over an assault on the Kurdish-held border town of Kobane. Renewed fighting between Turkish-backed factions and Syrian Kurdish fighters comes more than a week after fighters led by opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled Syria’s longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad. Reporting from Istanbul, Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu said that Turkiye …

Amid Turkey's offensive, Iraqis & Syrian Kurds fear Islamic State's attempts to free thousands of prisoners
1 week ago

Amid Turkey's offensive, Iraqis & Syrian Kurds fear Islamic State's attempts to free thousands of prisoners

Firstpost  

As Kurdish forces are stretched thin in the wake of a Turkey-led offensive, Iraqi and Kurdish officials are concerned that the Islamic State may attempt to free thousands of terrorists held in Kurdish jails in Syria The Islamic State is likely to take advantage of the spiralling conflict in Syria and free thousands of its terrorists held in numerous prisoners, …

Turkey to step up offensive against Kurds, expected to launch full-scale invasion of Syria: Report
Trending News
1 week ago

Turkey to step up offensive against Kurds, expected to launch full-scale invasion of Syria: Report

Firstpost  

Utilising the chaos in Syria in the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, Turkey has mobilised its military along with militias it sponsors along the border with Kurdish-held Syrian territories in what appears to be a preparation for an imminent invasion, according to a report Amid chaos in the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, Turkey appears set to invade Syria and …

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria
Top News
1 week ago

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria

China Daily  

DAMASCUS -- US-led mediation efforts have failed to establish a lasting ceasefire in northern Syria's Manbij and Kobani regions, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Monday. In a statement from its media center, the SDF accused Türkiye and allied militias of rejecting key provisions in a proposed agreement, including the transfer of remaining Manbij Military Council fighters and civilians …

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria
Top News
1 week ago

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria

China Daily  

DAMASCUS -- US-led mediation efforts have failed to establish a lasting ceasefire in northern Syria's Manbij and Kobani regions, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Monday. In a statement from its media center, the SDF accused Türkiye and allied militias of rejecting key provisions in a proposed agreement, including the transfer of remaining Manbij Military Council fighters and civilians …

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria
Trending News
1 week ago

US-backed Kurdish forces report ceasefire failure in northen Syria

China Daily  

Xinhua | Updated: 2024-12-17 10:19 DAMASCUS -- US-led mediation efforts have failed to establish a lasting ceasefire in northern Syria's Manbij and Kobani regions, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Monday. In a statement from its media center, the SDF accused Türkiye and allied militias of rejecting key provisions in a proposed agreement, including the transfer of remaining Manbij …

Turkey Says Syria’s New Rulers Agree to Abolish Kurdish Forces
1 week, 2 days ago

Turkey Says Syria’s New Rulers Agree to Abolish Kurdish Forces

Live Mint  

-- Turkey said Syria’s new rebel government agrees with Ankara on the need to dismantle Kurdish military forces — a critical US ally in the northern region of Syria — as countries rush to shape the future of the region after the downfall of the Assad regime. “It is out of the question for the Syrian people, or the new …

Russia, Turkey struggle to realign strategy for post-al Assad Syria
1 week, 2 days ago

Russia, Turkey struggle to realign strategy for post-al Assad Syria

India Today  

The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime at the hands of the rebel coalition forces comprising Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Syrian National Army led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has thrown new challenges for the troubled nation. With Assad's departure, the conflict has transitioned into an uncertain phase with key players like Russia and Turkey, deeply entrenched in the region's …

Why the Kurdish Question Remains West Asia’s Litmus Test to Embrace Diversity in the Region
1 week, 4 days ago

Why the Kurdish Question Remains West Asia’s Litmus Test to Embrace Diversity in the Region

The Hindu  

Published : Dec 13, 2024 15:50 IST - 8 MINS READ With the fall of Damascus, the spotlight has shifted to north-eastern Syria, a region bordering Iran, Türkiye, and Iraq. The Syrian conflict, far from being a binary contest between Bashar al-Assad’s regime and Arab opposition forces like the Syrian National Army, has also involved Kurdish groups seeking autonomy amid …

Syria’s new power struggle? Why Turkey-backed Syrian National Army is at odds with US ally Syrian Democratic Forces
1 week, 4 days ago

Syria’s new power struggle? Why Turkey-backed Syrian National Army is at odds with US ally Syrian Democratic Forces

Firstpost  

The Syrian conflict has entered a new phase as the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army escalates its offensive against the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces. While the SNA seeks to establish control in northern Syria, the SDF faces mounting pressure despite its pivotal role in defeating ISIS People chant in celebration while holding flags adopted by the Syrian new rulers after their …

Top Kurdish commander warns of 'bloody civil war' in Syria as Turkey & Islamists continue attacks
1 week, 4 days ago

Top Kurdish commander warns of 'bloody civil war' in Syria as Turkey & Islamists continue attacks

Firstpost  

As Turkey has joined hands with Syrian Islamist groups, including the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, against the Kurds, the top Kurdish general has warned that the country may be headed into another round of ‘bloody civil war’ General Mazloum Abdi, the commander of Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, has warned that the country may be headed into another round of a “bloody …

Syria in a map: Who controls what now that Assad is gone?
1 week, 4 days ago

Syria in a map: Who controls what now that Assad is gone?

ABC  

Whenever a leader is overthrown, a power vacuum is created that can be exploited by self-seeking actors. SNA forces, which are backed by neighbouring country Türkiye, have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep Syria's Kurdish forces away from it. This last Kurdish group is known as Syria's Democratic Forces and it controls large …

Syria's never-ending conflict: Nation already faces a NEW civil war as ISIS carry out fresh massacres and Turkish-backed fighters clash with Kurds, threatening to drag in US and Israel
1 week, 5 days ago

Syria's never-ending conflict: Nation already faces a NEW civil war as ISIS carry out fresh massacres and Turkish-backed fighters clash with Kurds, threatening to drag in US and Israel

Daily Mail  

Islamist rebel group Ha'yat Tahrir al-Sham officially ended Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's longstanding regime earlier this week, naming a leader of a new transition government days after Assad fled Damascus to seek refuge in Moscow. Destroyed trucks after a Turkish airstrike near Qamishli, northeast of Syria on 11 December 2024 Israeli troops move within the buffer zone between Israel and …

After toppling Assad regime, HTS & Turkey attack towns of US-backed Kurds in Syria
1 week, 6 days ago

After toppling Assad regime, HTS & Turkey attack towns of US-backed Kurds in Syria

Firstpost  

After ending the decadeslong rule of Bashar al-Assad, the Islamist opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Turkey have found a common enemy in US-backed Kurds in Syria The photograph shows US-backed Kurdish military personnel of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria's Raqqa in 2017. After toppling Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Syria’s main opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Turkey have found …

As rebels marched against Assad, Turkey opened new front against US-backed Kurds in Syria
Trending News
2 weeks, 1 day ago

As rebels marched against Assad, Turkey opened new front against US-backed Kurds in Syria

Firstpost  

Even as Syrian opposition forces were marching against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, Turkey and a militia it sponsors opened a new front against US-backed Kurds in Syria over the weekend The photograph shows US-backed Kurdish military personnel of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria's Raqqa in 2017. Even as Syrian opposition forces pushed against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, Turkey opened …

Opinion - Erdogan's dual strategy in Syria: Hunting with NATO, running with Russia
2 weeks, 2 days ago

Opinion - Erdogan's dual strategy in Syria: Hunting with NATO, running with Russia

India Today  

In the shadow of Istanbul’s minarets, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not hide his glee at the fast-paced developments in neighbouring Syria. This support was part of Turkey’s broader goal to influence the outcome of the Syrian conflict in favour of a government that could guarantee the security of its borders and prevent autonomy for Kurdish groups. Ankara’s knowledge …

How global powerplay and terrorism have rekindled Syrian conflict
Trending News
2 weeks, 4 days ago

How global powerplay and terrorism have rekindled Syrian conflict

Firstpost  

West Asia is never quiet. As if the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon are not enough, let alone the simmering ones in Libya, Yemen, and Sudan, the past week’s conflagration in Syria has yet again proved that the causes of conflict must also be definitively addressed, especially when a highly complex situation is allowed to take deeper, divisive roots …

Syrian rebel offensive bolsters Turkey’s geopolitical influence
Trending News
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Syrian rebel offensive bolsters Turkey’s geopolitical influence

Live Mint  

A rapid advance by Syrian rebels in recent days is giving the NATO member Turkey more power to limit Russian and Iranian influence in the region, but also risks triggering new instability on Ankara’s doorstep. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now in a stronger position to put pressure on Kurdish militias it opposes in Syria, some …

Why Turkey may benefit from Syria’s deadly new offensive
3 weeks ago

Why Turkey may benefit from Syria’s deadly new offensive

Firstpost  

Syria’s long civil war has reclaimed global attention after insurgents seized most of Aleppo and dozens of nearby towns and villages. Experts think that Turkey, which influences the large coalition of rebel fighters that are occupying the country’s second-largest city, may benefit greatly from the current Syrian crisis. Turkey’s role in the new rebel offensive Turkey has a “complex and …

Syria war live tracker: Maps and charts
3 weeks ago

Syria war live tracker: Maps and charts

Al Jazeera  

Here’s what the situation on the ground looks like as of December 8, 2024. On November 27, groups opposing the government of al-Assad, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launched a surprise offensive that captured large parts of Aleppo, the country’s second largest city. They are: Syrian government forces: The army, the government’s main military force, fights alongside the National Defence …

What is Russia’s role in Syrian civil war? Why is Turkey backing rebels?
Trending News
3 weeks ago

What is Russia’s role in Syrian civil war? Why is Turkey backing rebels?

Firstpost  

Russia has conducted major air strikes on rebels in Syria after insurgents led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group swept into Aleppo in what is the biggest challenge to its ally President Bashar al-Assad in years. The Syrian military command said militants had attacked in large numbers and from multiple directions, prompting “our armed forces to carry out a …

How Al Qaeda-linked group’s fresh surge in Syria will embolden global jihad
3 weeks, 1 day ago

How Al Qaeda-linked group’s fresh surge in Syria will embolden global jihad

Firstpost  

Bashar al-Assad is a dictator who did not even shy away from using chemical weapons on his people; however, the choice is between a Syria led by Assad or one ruled by Al Qaeda-linked Islamists No sooner than Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a highly fragile ceasefire, large-scale violence erupted in Syria with the onslaught of the Islamist group Hayat …

Turkey’s Erdogan says he remains hopeful about reconciliation with Syria
1 month, 1 week ago

Turkey’s Erdogan says he remains hopeful about reconciliation with Syria

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he remains hopeful that a reconciliation with Syrian President Bashar Assad can be achieved to end more than a decade of tensions between their two neighboring countries, state-run media reported on Wednesday. Speaking to journalists on his return from trips to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, Erdogan said he believes a …

Kurdish leader in Syria calls for diplomatic solutions to conflict with Turkey
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Kurdish leader in Syria calls for diplomatic solutions to conflict with Turkey

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Iraq bans a Kurdish separatist group and strengthens its cooperation with Turkey
5 months ago

Iraq bans a Kurdish separatist group and strengthens its cooperation with Turkey

Associated Press  

IRBIL, Iraq — The Iraqi government announced Tuesday an official ban on a Kurdish separatist group which has been engaged in in a long-running conflict with Turkey. The order issued July 14 and published Tuesday by the Department of Administrative Affairs at the Iraqi Parliament said Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had issued instructions for the PKK to be described …

A rapprochement between Syria and Turkey is on the table. Here’s what it might mean for the region
5 months, 1 week ago

A rapprochement between Syria and Turkey is on the table. Here’s what it might mean for the region

Associated Press  

ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar Assad have recently signaled that they are interested in restoring diplomatic ties that have been ruptured for more than a decade. Assad said in an interview with Sky News Arabia last August that the objective of Erdogan’s overtures was “to legitimize the Turkish occupation in Syria.” What’s different now …

Turkey’s top diplomat visits Iraq and seeks support against Kurdish militant group
9 months, 1 week ago

Turkey’s top diplomat visits Iraq and seeks support against Kurdish militant group

Associated Press  

BAGHDAD — Turkey’s top diplomat was in Baghdad for high-level meetings on Thursday, ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s expected visit next month and a potential Turkish offensive against a Kurdish militant group that maintains bases in Iraq. A joint statement issued by the two countries after Thursday’s meetings said both sides had “stressed that the PKK organization represents a …

Turkey's Erdogan vows to intensify strikes against Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq
11 months, 1 week ago

Turkey's Erdogan vows to intensify strikes against Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq

Firstpost  

Days after an attack on a Turkish military base in Iraq killed nine Turkish soldiers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared on Tuesday his commitment to expanding military operations against groups associated with Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria. Following the attempt to infiltrate a military base in the northern Iraq semi-autonomous Kurdish region on Friday, Turkish warplanes and drones have …

Turkey’s Erdogan vows to widen operations against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq
11 months, 1 week ago

Turkey’s Erdogan vows to widen operations against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Tuesday to widen military operations against groups linked to Kurdish militants in neighboring Iraq and Syria, days after an attack on a Turkish military base in Iraq killed nine Turkish soldiers. Turkish warplanes and drones have been carrying out airstrikes on targets in Syria and Iraq believed to be affiliated …

Turkey hits 70 sites linked to Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for soldiers’ deaths
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Turkey hits 70 sites linked to Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for soldiers’ deaths

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has hit more than 70 sites allegedly linked to Kurdish groups in Syria and northern Iraq during airstrikes launched this week in retaliation for the deaths of 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq, the defense minister said Wednesday. At least 59 Kurdish militants were killed in the strikes as well as in land clashes, Yasar Guler said …

Turkey steps up airstrikes against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq after 12 soldiers were killed
11 months, 4 weeks ago

Turkey steps up airstrikes against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq after 12 soldiers were killed

Associated Press  

QAMISHLI, Syria — Turkey intensified its airstrikes against Kurdish groups in Syria and northern Iraq in retaliation for the deaths of 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq over the weekend. In northeast Syria, at least eight civilians were killed in Turkish airstrikes Monday, including two women, Farhad Shami, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said in a post on …

Turkey says its warplanes have hit suspected Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq
1 year ago

Turkey says its warplanes have hit suspected Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish warplanes carried out new airstrikes Wednesday against Kurdish militant targets in neighboring Iraq, the Turkish defense ministry said, a day after Turkish and Iraqi officials held high-level security talks in Ankara. Turkey often launches strikes against targets in Syria and Iraq that it believes to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a banned …

Turkish strikes on northeast Syria kill 29: Kurdish forces
1 year, 2 months ago

Turkish strikes on northeast Syria kill 29: Kurdish forces

The Hindu  

Turkish attacks in Kurdish-held northeast Syria killed 29 Kurdish security personnel and wounded 28 at an academy for the forces, authorities in the semi-autonomous area said on October 9. Turkey's Defence Ministry said on October 6 it launched a new wave of air strikes in retaliation for an attack in Ankara earlier this month that wounded two security personnel. Turkey …

Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish militia targets in northern Syria after US downed Turkish armed drone
1 year, 2 months ago

Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish militia targets in northern Syria after US downed Turkish armed drone

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish warplanes have carried out airstrikes on sites believed to be used by a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in northern Syria, after the U.S. military shot down an armed Turkish drone that came within 500 meters of American troops, officials said Friday. The minister also told his American counterpart that Turkey’s counter-terrorism operations in Iraq and Syria would …

US shoots down armed Turkish drone after it came too close to US troops in Syria
1 year, 2 months ago

US shoots down armed Turkish drone after it came too close to US troops in Syria

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon said Thursday the U.S. military shot down an armed Turkish drone that came within 500 meters of American troops in northeastern Syria, in a rare use of force by one NATO member against another. The decision to shoot down an ally’s armed drone “was made out due diligence and the inherent right of self-defense to take …

Turkey strikes Kurdish militants in Iraq again after warning of retaliation for a bombing in Ankara
1 year, 2 months ago

Turkey strikes Kurdish militants in Iraq again after warning of retaliation for a bombing in Ankara

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Turkish warplanes launched a new round of airstrikes against Kurdish militant targets in Iraq on Wednesday hours after the foreign minister warned that Turkey would hit the militant group’s positions in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for a suicide bombing in Ankara earlier this week. He said Turkey would now target facilities in Syria and Iraq belonging to …

Turkey says bombers came from Syria, threatens more cross-border strikes
1 year, 2 months ago

Turkey says bombers came from Syria, threatens more cross-border strikes

Al Jazeera  

Turkey warns it could step up air strikes on Kurdish targets in Syria and Iraq in response to PKK’s weekend attack in Ankara. Turkey’s military conducted air strikes in northern Iraq and staged several raids across the country this week in response to the attack, detaining dozens of suspects with alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, listed as …

Turkey hits Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and detains about 1,000 people days after Ankara blast
1 year, 2 months ago

Turkey hits Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and detains about 1,000 people days after Ankara blast

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish warplanes carried out new airstrikes against suspected Kurdish militant sites in northern Iraq on Tuesday, days after a suicide attack in the Turkish capital. It was Turkey’s second cross-border aerial operation against PKK targets in northern Iraq since the attack in Ankara on Sunday. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that 55 people suspected of being part …

US-backed Kurdish forces impose curfew in eastern Syria after new clashes with rival Arab militia
1 year, 2 months ago

US-backed Kurdish forces impose curfew in eastern Syria after new clashes with rival Arab militia

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Turkish airstrike in northern Iraq kills 4 Kurdish insurgents as Ankara’s top diplomat visits region
1 year, 3 months ago

Turkish airstrike in northern Iraq kills 4 Kurdish insurgents as Ankara’s top diplomat visits region

Associated Press  

IRBIL, Iraq — A Turkish airstrike in northern Iraq on Thursday killed three members of a Kurdish insurgent group, officials said, as Ankara’s top diplomat visited the seat of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish regional government. On Thursday, a Turkish military drone targeted a vehicle some 137 kilometers north of the city of Irbil, the seat of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish government, authorities …

Turkey wants Iraq to designate PKK a ‘terrorist’ organisation: Top diplomat
1 year, 4 months ago

Turkey wants Iraq to designate PKK a ‘terrorist’ organisation: Top diplomat

Al Jazeera  

Turkey says PKK is a threat to Iraqi security, ignoring Baghdad’s complaints about Ankara’s air attacks on Iraqi soil. Turkey expects the government in Iraq to officially recognise the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or the PKK, as a “terrorist” organisation, mirroring Ankara and its Western allies, its foreign minister says. “Sinjar, Makhmour, Qandil, Sulaimaniyah, and many other Iraqi districts have been …

Turkish drone strike kills 2 Kurdish local officials and their driver in north Syria, officials say
1 year, 6 months ago

Turkish drone strike kills 2 Kurdish local officials and their driver in north Syria, officials say

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — A Turkish drone attack killed two Kurdish local officials and their driver in northeast Syria on Tuesday in the latest such strike in the war-torn country, officials said, as talks on Syria’s conflict began in Kazakhstan. Turkey says the main Syrian Kurdish militia is allied to the outlawed Kurdish group, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK, has led an …

Turkey closes airspace to Iraq’s Sulaimaniyah, cites PKK presence
1 year, 8 months ago

Turkey closes airspace to Iraq’s Sulaimaniyah, cites PKK presence

Al Jazeera  

Turkey based its decision on the alleged rise of PKK-linked activity in the northern Iraqi city. Turkey has closed its airspace to planes taking off from and landing in Iraq’s northern city of Sulaimaniyah, citing what it said was the heightened presence of Kurdistan Workers’ Party fighters there, according to a spokesman from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is …

Signals of a slow return to peace in Syria
1 year, 11 months ago

Signals of a slow return to peace in Syria

The Hindu  

As Syria enters the 13th year of its lethal civil conflict, a bomb explosion in Istanbul on November 13, that killed six persons, seems to have accelerated a diplomatic process which could bring peace to that tormented land. Turkish authorities immediately blamed Kurdish militants in Syria, represented by the People’s Protection Units, for the bombing, and even arrested a Syrian …

Why does Turkey want to launch another military offensive in Syria? | In Focus podcast
2 years ago

Why does Turkey want to launch another military offensive in Syria? | In Focus podcast

The Hindu  

Tensions are rising in northern Syria along the border with Turkey – an area that is already facing a grave humanitarian crisis following a decade-long civil war. Now Turkey, which has already carried out four on-ground offensives in Syria since 2016, has announced that it could launch another big military operation against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF is …

Explained: What's at stake in Turkey’s new Syria escalation?
2 years ago

Explained: What's at stake in Turkey’s new Syria escalation?

Firstpost  

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly warned of a new land incursion to drive Kurdish groups away from the Turkish-Syrian border, following a deadly 13 November bombing in Istanbul Beirut: After weeks of deadly Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria, Kurdish forces and international players are trying to gauge whether Ankara’s threats of a ground invasion are serious. Turkish president …

Joint patrols resume in north Syria amid tension with Turkey
2 years ago

Joint patrols resume in north Syria amid tension with Turkey

Associated Press  

QAMISHLI, Syria — U.S. troops Saturday resumed joint patrols with Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria days after they were stopped amid Turkish threats of a new ground incursion into the war-torn country. A patrol consisting of four American armored vehicles and one for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces was seen leaving a U.S. base near the northeastern town of Rmeilan …

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