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 {{ /verifyErrors }} The leader of the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in northeast Syria in an interview with The Associated Press called for international mediators to push for diplomatic solutions to the complex web of conflicts in Syria, including the escalating Turkish bombardment of Kurdish areas. The Turkish bombardment hinders the fight against the Islamic State group Still, he said, “We are open to dialogue with all parties, including Turkey, even though their attacks persist.” He appealed to the U.S.-led coalition formed to fight the Islamic State militant group and to other mediators to push for diplomatic solutions. “We, along with coalition forces, conduct daily activities to neutralize ISIS cells, and if the coalition withdraws, the threat level would rise across the region,” Abdi said. Analysts have said that a U.S. departure could lead to increased pressure on the SDF from both Turkish and Syrian government forces, exacerbating the region’s security vacuum and the conflict’s toll on civilians.

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History of this topic

Syria's new leader says all weapons to come under 'state control'
7 hours, 19 minutes ago

Syria's new leader says all weapons to come under 'state control'

Raw Story  

by Maher Al Mounes with Lisa Golden Two weeks after seizing power in a sweeping offensive, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday said weapons in the country, including those held by Kurdish-led forces, would come under state control. Sharaa spoke alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, after earlier meeting with Lebanese Druze leaders and vowing to end "negative interference" …

Erdogan urges end of foreign support for Kurdish fighters in Syria
3 days, 19 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 …

Turkish FM denies Trump claim of ‘unfriendly takeover’ by Turkiye in Syria
4 days, 19 hours ago

Turkish FM denies Trump claim of ‘unfriendly takeover’ by Turkiye in Syria

Al Jazeera  

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan tells Al Jazeera the only ‘takeover’ in Syria was ‘the will of the Syrian people’. Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has denied a claim by incoming United States President Donald Trump that the toppling of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was an “unfriendly takeover” by Turkiye. In an interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Wednesday, the …

Turkiye refutes US claims of ceasefire with Syrian Kurdish fighters
4 days, 19 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
6 days, 6 hours 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, …

US fears military buildup by Turkey signals preparations for incursion into Syria
6 days, 12 hours ago

US fears military buildup by Turkey signals preparations for incursion into Syria

Live Mint  

WASHINGTON : —Senior U.S. officials say Turkey and its militia allies are building up forces along the border with Syria, raising alarm that Ankara is preparing for a large-scale incursion into territory held by American-backed Syrian Kurds. The forces include militia fighters and Turkish uniformed commandos and artillery in large numbers that are concentrated near Kobani, a Kurdish-majority city in …

Turkey to step up offensive against Kurds, expected to launch full-scale invasion of Syria: Report
Trending News
6 days, 12 hours 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
6 days, 19 hours 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
6 days, 19 hours 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
6 days, 19 hours 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, 1 day 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, 1 day 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 …

Syria won't become flourishing democracy overnight, but it won't join the league of failed states either
1 week, 2 days ago

Syria won't become flourishing democracy overnight, but it won't join the league of failed states either

Firstpost  

Seeing the checks and balances of the various interest groups within and outside Syria, it can be concluded that these forces would not allow Syria to drift into the crisis in which Iraq was post-2003, and Libya drifted and never recovered after the forcible removal of Muammar Gaddafi’s rule in 2011 The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and …

Why the Kurdish Question Remains West Asia’s Litmus Test to Embrace Diversity in the Region
1 week, 3 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 …

Middle East latest: Blinken urges Mideast nations to support a peaceful Syrian political transition
1 week, 3 days ago

Middle East latest: Blinken urges Mideast nations to support a peaceful Syrian political transition

Hindustan Times  

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pressing ahead with efforts to unify Middle East nations in support of a peaceful political transition in Syria. Middle East latest: Blinken urges Mideast nations to support a peaceful Syrian political transition He is meeting on Friday with Turkey's foreign minister after talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to try to bring Turkey …

Syria’s new power struggle? Why Turkey-backed Syrian National Army is at odds with US ally Syrian Democratic Forces
1 week, 3 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, 3 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 …

Peacemakers or geopolitics at play? Scramble for power in Syria after Assad's fall
1 week, 4 days ago

Peacemakers or geopolitics at play? Scramble for power in Syria after Assad's fall

Firstpost  

With the ouster of the Assad dynasty, the opposition groups as well as global and regional players are scrambling to secure their interests in Syria’s power vacuum The opposition groups as well as global and regional players are scrambling for power in Syria’s power vacuum. From Israel, Turkey, and Iran in the region to Russia and the United States beyond …

America’s closest ally in Syria is losing ground as a new order takes shape
Trending News
1 week, 5 days ago

America’s closest ally in Syria is losing ground as a new order takes shape

Associated Press  

The jihadi rebels who toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad say they want to build a unified, inclusive country. Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Who are the U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters in Syria? Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Why is Turkey fighting the Kurds? Share Share …

With Assad’s Fall, Erdogan Oversees Turkey’s Growing Regional Clout
1 week, 6 days ago

With Assad’s Fall, Erdogan Oversees Turkey’s Growing Regional Clout

Live Mint  

-- Of all the winners and losers from Syria’s sudden change of power, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stands out as among those with the most to gain. “While Ankara’s precise role in the surprising turn of events remains a topic of speculation, the rebel offensive could not have gone ahead without Turkey’s consent and support.” The question now is …

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

Israel, Turkey emerge as big winners from fall of Basher al-Assad's regime in Syria
2 weeks, 1 day ago

Israel, Turkey emerge as big winners from fall of Basher al-Assad's regime in Syria

Firstpost  

While Turkey and Israel stand to benefit from the new order, the power vacuum in Syria raises concerns about potential instability and the rise of extremist factions Israel and Turkey have emerged as winners due to the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Agencies The ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has triggered a dramatic reshaping of West Asian geopolitics, with …

Opinion - Erdogan's dual strategy in Syria: Hunting with NATO, running with Russia
2 weeks, 1 day 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 …

Bashar al-Assad’s regime has fallen in Syria. How will this impact an already fractured region?
2 weeks, 1 day ago

Bashar al-Assad’s regime has fallen in Syria. How will this impact an already fractured region?

New Indian Express  

The swift and unexpected fall of the Syrian capital, Damascus, to Sunni opposition forces marks a pivotal moment in the modern history of the Middle East. Syrian opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham: These groups, supported by Turkey, now control central Syria, extending from the northern border with Turkey to the southern border with Jordan. The opposition forces range …

Where Turkey stands as Syrian government falls to opposition insurgents
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Where Turkey stands as Syrian government falls to opposition insurgents

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Syrian refugees across Turkey jubilantly welcomed the downfall of Bashar Assad’s government Sunday, with many embracing the chance to return to their homeland. FILE - From left: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Sept. 16, 2019. Share Share Copy Link …

How global powerplay and terrorism have rekindled Syrian conflict
Trending News
2 weeks, 3 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, 3 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 …

Turkey calls for reconciliation between Syrian government and the opposition to end conflict
3 weeks ago

Turkey calls for reconciliation between Syrian government and the opposition to end conflict

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — The recent rapid advance by opposition fighters in Syria shows that Syrian President Bashar Assad must reconcile with his own people and hold talks with the opposition, the Turkish foreign minister said Monday. At a joint news conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart, Hakan Fidan said Turkey and Iran, which support opposing sides in Syria’s civil …

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 …

Syria and Turkey: A path to reconciliation, or a defeat of the opposition?
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Syria and Turkey: A path to reconciliation, or a defeat of the opposition?

Al Jazeera  

Anti-Syrian riots in Turkey and protests in Syria are a symbol of a period of flux in relations between the two countries. “Erdogan’s Syria policy since 2016 has been helping the Assad regime,” said Gönül Tol, the founding director of the Middle East Institute’s Turkey programme. The Syrian opposition’s relations with the regime are based on their own free decision, …

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 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 …

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 …

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 {{ …

Iraq’s president will summon the Turkish ambassador over airstrikes in Iraq’s Kurdish region
1 year, 3 months ago

Iraq’s president will summon the Turkish ambassador over airstrikes in Iraq’s Kurdish region

Associated Press  

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi president announced Tuesday that he will summon Turkey’s ambassador and hand him a formal letter of protest over recent Turkish airstrikes on Iraqi territory. The official protest came a day after an airstrike on a military airport in Arbat, southeast of the city of Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. “Day after day, systematic military …

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 and Syria agree to improve ties after talks in Moscow
1 year, 7 months ago

Turkey and Syria agree to improve ties after talks in Moscow

Associated Press  

MOSCOW — Syria and Turkey agreed Wednesday to set up a “roadmap” to improve strained ties, following talks alongside Russia and Iran in Moscow. Moscow has spent years trying to help Syrian President Bashar Assad rebuild ties with Turkey and other countries that were fractured in the war, which has killed nearly 500,000 people and displaced half of Syria’s prewar …

Iraq wants Turkey's apology for trying to bomb airport
1 year, 8 months ago

Iraq wants Turkey's apology for trying to bomb airport

Firstpost  

The blast came days after Turkiye closed its airspace to flights to and from the airport, citing an alleged increase in Kurdish militant activity threatening flight safety Cairo: Iraq demanded Turkiye apologise for allegedly bombarding the Sulaymaniyah airport in the north of the nation and demanded that the Turkish government end its hostilities there. The Iraqi presidency said in a …

Iraq and Iran sign deal to tighten border security
1 year, 9 months ago

Iraq and Iran sign deal to tighten border security

Al Jazeera  

Iraqi officials say the move is aimed at tightening the frontier with Iraq’s Kurdish region, where Tehran says armed Kurdish dissidents pose a threat to its security. Iraq and Iran have signed a border security agreement, a move Iraqi officials say is aimed primarily at tightening the frontier with Iraq’s Kurdish region, where Tehran says Kurdish armed groups pose a …

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 …

Syria opposition uneasy after Turkish outreach to al-Assad regime
1 year, 11 months ago

Syria opposition uneasy after Turkish outreach to al-Assad regime

Al Jazeera  

Turkey says there is no change in its Syria policy after opposition groups urge Ankara to reaffirm support for them. Syria’s political and armed opposition have urged their decade-long backer Turkey to reaffirm its support for their cause after the highest-level talks between Ankara and the Damascus governments since the Syrian war began in 2011. The head of Hayat Tahrir …

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 …

Turkish deadline for SDF withdrawal from northern Syria: Source
2 years ago

Turkish deadline for SDF withdrawal from northern Syria: Source

Al Jazeera  

Turkish source tells Al Jazeera that Ankara has told the US and Russia that the SDF must withdraw within two weeks, or face a new Turkish military ground operation. In response to Turkey’s demands, the Turkish official said that the US had proposed the idea of restructuring the SDF and giving a larger role to the Arab forces within it …

SDF says no more anti-ISIL operations after Turkish attacks
2 years ago

SDF says no more anti-ISIL operations after Turkish attacks

Al Jazeera  

The predominantly Kurdish group Turkey blames for the November 13 Istanbul bombing says it won’t cooperate with US anti-ISIL operations. A spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces, which controls territory in northern Syria, said on Friday that “all coordination and joint counterterrorism operations” with the US-led coalition battling remnants of ISIL in Syria as well as “all the joint special …

Turkish strikes harming counter-IS operations, US, Kurds say
2 years ago

Turkish strikes harming counter-IS operations, US, Kurds say

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — U.S. and Kurdish military officials said Tuesday that Turkish airstrikes and a threatened ground invasion in northern Syria are impacting their joint operations against the Islamic State extremist group. Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria, told reporters that the group’s joint counter-IS operations alongside the U.S.-led international coalition have been “temporarily …

Turkish air attacks on Syria threaten US personnel: Pentagon
2 years ago

Turkish air attacks on Syria threaten US personnel: Pentagon

Al Jazeera  

Turkey has stepped up air attacks on northern Syria since the November 13 Istanbul bombing. Turkish air attacks in northern Syria threaten the safety of United States military personnel and the escalating situation is jeopardising years of progress against ISIL fighters, the Pentagon has said. The public comments on Wednesday represent the strongest condemnation by the US of NATO ally …

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