The US should rely on Turkey in Syria
5 years, 11 months ago

The US should rely on Turkey in Syria

Al Jazeera  

Recent attacks on US troops in Syria demonstrate the YPG is either unable or unwilling to thwart the ISIL threat. Third, many critics of Trump’s plan to withdraw from Syria and hand over the responsibility of preventing ISIL’s resurgence in the region to Turkey mistakenly portray Ankara as “an aggressor”. Defending past mistakes, not US interests Beyond these three misconceptions, some former US officials – including the former US envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, Brett McGurk – publicly criticised the Trump administration’s Syria policy not to defend US interests, but their misguided past actions and decisions. McGurk, who left his post earlier than expected to protest against Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria, recently made the case that only the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces “provide stability in the areas that once made up the Islamic State in northeast Syria.” However, the most recent developments in the region proved that the YPG has not been able to thwart the ISIL threat there, despite receiving billions of US taxpayer dollars in assistance. The sudden increase in the number of attacks on US troops suggests that the YPG is either unable or unwilling to stop ISIL’s operations in northeastern Syria.

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History of this topic

Turkiye threatens military action against Kurdish forces in Syria
3 days, 1 hour ago

Turkiye threatens military action against Kurdish forces in Syria

Al Jazeera  

Turkiye has threatened to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria unless they accept Ankara’s conditions for a “bloodless” transition following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad last month. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told CNN Turk television late on Tuesday that “we will do what’s necessary” if the People’s Protection Units fail to meet Ankara’s demands. Al-Assad’s overthrow by …

Analysis: Turkiye’s road ahead in a post-Assad Syria
Trending News
4 days, 1 hour ago

Analysis: Turkiye’s road ahead in a post-Assad Syria

Al Jazeera  

Challenges and opportunities await Ankara as its neighbour reimagines itself after decades of dictatorship. How US President-elect Donald Trump’s Syria policy will unfold will have a direct effect on how Turkiye will move regarding the YPG. The possibility of instability is well calculated by Ankara and a military offensive on northeastern Syria may come sooner in what Turkiye will say …

Erdogan says YPG ‘will be buried’ in Syria if it doesn’t lay down arms
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Erdogan says YPG ‘will be buried’ in Syria if it doesn’t lay down arms

Al Jazeera  

Ankara has repeatedly insisted that the Kurdish YPG militia must disband and called on the US to stop supporting it. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that Kurdish fighters in Syria will either lay down their weapons or “be buried”, amid hostilities between Turkiye-backed Syrian rebels and other armed groups since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad …

Turkey says it believes Kurdish fighters will be forced out of all Syrian territory
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Turkey says it believes Kurdish fighters will be forced out of all Syrian territory

Hindustan Times  

ANKARA, - Turkey believes Syria's new rulers, including the Syrian National Army armed group which Ankara backs, will drive Kurdish YPG fighters from all territory they occupy in northeastern Syria, Defence Minister Yasar Guler said on Sunday. Turkey says it believes Kurdish fighters will be forced out of all Syrian territory Turkey regards the Syrian YPG as an extension of …

Turkey will do 'whatever it takes' if Syria government cannot address Kurd militia issue, minister says
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Turkey will do 'whatever it takes' if Syria government cannot address Kurd militia issue, minister says

Hindustan Times  

ANKARA, - Turkey will do "whatever it takes" to ensure its security if the new Syrian administration cannot address Ankara's concerns about U.S.-allied Kurdish groups it views as terrorist groups, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday. Turkey will do 'whatever it takes' if Syria government cannot address Kurd militia issue, minister says Turkey regards the YPG, the militant group …

Erdogan says Turkey expects allies to pull support from Kurds in post-Assad Syria
3 weeks ago

Erdogan says Turkey expects allies to pull support from Kurds in post-Assad Syria

Hindustan Times  

ANKARA -Turkey expects foreign countries will withdraw support for Kurdish fighters in Syria following the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, President Tayyip Erdogan said, as Ankara seeks to isolate Kurds who have long fought alongside U.S. troops. Erdogan says Turkey expects allies to pull support from Kurds in post-Assad Syria Germany's foreign minister later said Kurdish forces should disarm and integrate …

Israel vs Turkey: The intensifying Middle-East power struggle
3 weeks ago

Israel vs Turkey: The intensifying Middle-East power struggle

Live Mint  

DUBAI—Turkey and Israel are the main strategic beneficiaries of the collapse of the Syrian regime, an event that has capped the dramatic decline of Iranian influence in the Middle East. This month’s breakup of the Iranian-led “axis of resistance," which used to run from Iran and Iraq via Syria to Hezbollah, represents an immediate and significant security boon for Israel. …

Erdogan urges end of foreign support for Kurdish fighters in Syria
3 weeks, 1 day 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'
3 weeks, 1 day 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 …

Turkey-Backed Syria Forces Aim to Push on Against Kurdish Groups
3 weeks, 2 days 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 …

US fears military buildup by Turkey signals preparations for incursion into Syria
3 weeks, 3 days 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
3 weeks, 3 days 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 …

Turkey says Syria's new rebel rulers agreed to dismantle Kurdish forces
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Turkey says Syria's new rebel rulers agreed to dismantle Kurdish forces

Hindustan Times  

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 administration, …

Turkey Says Syria’s New Rulers Agree to Abolish Kurdish Forces
3 weeks, 5 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
3 weeks, 6 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 …

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

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

Where Turkey stands as Syrian government falls to opposition insurgents
1 month 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
1 month 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
1 month 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
1 month, 1 week 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 …

Turkey’s Erdogan says he remains hopeful about reconciliation with Syria
1 month, 4 weeks 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 …

Turkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following deadly terrorist attack on defence company that left five dead and 22 injured
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Turkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following deadly terrorist attack on defence company that left five dead and 22 injured

Daily Mail  

Turkey's air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in an apparent retaliation to a terrorist attack that killed five people and wounded 22 others. Authorities said she and a male attacker were 'neutralised' The two people with guns and backpacks during an attack on the premises of the Turkish state-run aerospace and defence company Interior …

Syria and Turkey: A path to reconciliation, or a defeat of the opposition?
5 months, 2 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, 2 weeks 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, 4 weeks 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 Erdogan renews push to restore ties with Syria that were severed over a decade ago
6 months ago

Turkey's Erdogan renews push to restore ties with Syria that were severed over a decade ago

New Indian Express  

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his willingness to restore ties with Syria and extended an “invitation” Sunday to bring back relations to "how they were in the past." We met with Assad as a family, ” Erdogan told journalists Sunday on a flight from Berlin, where he watched Turkey play the Netherlands in the quarter-final of the European …

Turkey’s president expresses willingness to restore diplomatic ties with Syria
6 months, 1 week ago

Turkey’s president expresses willingness to restore diplomatic ties with Syria

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that there is no obstacle preventing Turkey and Syria from restoring diplomatic ties that were cut off at the start of the Syrian civil war more than a decade ago. The Syrian government has repeatedly condemned Ankara’s control over a territory that it took hold of through several military incursions …

Turkey’s top diplomat visits Iraq and seeks support against Kurdish militant group
9 months, 3 weeks 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, 3 weeks 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, 3 weeks 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 says bombers came from Syria, threatens more cross-border strikes
1 year, 3 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 …

Vantage: How Turkiye’s Iraq bombing helps Erdogan
1 year, 3 months ago

Vantage: How Turkiye’s Iraq bombing helps Erdogan

Firstpost  

Around 20 sites were bombed, including caves, shelters and depots. Ankara hasn’t confirmed the number of kills, but their statement says, ‘many militants were neutralised’ In a recent development that has ignited fresh tensions in an ongoing conflict, Turkish warplanes conducted airstrikes in northern Iraq, targeting Kurdish militants. Ankara hasn’t confirmed the number of kills, but their statement says, “many …

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 …

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 …

Assad blames Erdogan for violence in Syria and insists on a pullout of Turkish troops
1 year, 5 months ago

Assad blames Erdogan for violence in Syria and insists on a pullout of Turkish troops

Associated Press  

BEIRUT — Syrian President Bashar Assad slammed Turkey in comments published Wednesday, blaming Ankara for the uptick in violence in his war-torn country and insisting on the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria. He also denied rumors of an upcoming meeting between him and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite meetings between Turkey and Syria’s defense and foreign ministers under …

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 …

Erdogan says he may meet Syria’s Assad for ‘peace’ in the region
2 years ago

Erdogan says he may meet Syria’s Assad for ‘peace’ in the region

Al Jazeera  

The Turkish president says he could hold talks with the Syrian leader within a new process launched in Moscow last week. “Turkey, Russia and Syria have launched a process in Moscow,” the Turkish president said, speaking in the capital Ankara on Thursday, adding that the foreign ministers of the three countries are expected to gather in a trilateral format soon. …

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 …

EXPLAINER: What’s at stake in Turkey’s new Syria escalation
2 years, 1 month ago

EXPLAINER: What’s at stake in Turkey’s new Syria escalation

Associated Press  

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. Here’s a look at what various foreign powers and groups embroiled in the Syria conflict stand to gain or lose: WHAT TURKEY WANTS Turkey sees the Kurdish forces along its border …

Turkey says Kurdish armed groups in Syria ‘legitimate targets’
2 years, 1 month ago

Turkey says Kurdish armed groups in Syria ‘legitimate targets’

Al Jazeera  

Ibrahim Kalin, the presidential spokesperson, tells Al Jazeera that Ankara will target the PKK, YPG and PYD Kurdish groups to protect its borders. The spokesperson for the Turkish presidency has told Al Jazeera that Kurdish armed groups in Syria are “legitimate targets”, and accused them of exploiting ties with the United States to justify their presence along Turkey’s border with …

SDF says no more anti-ISIL operations after Turkish attacks
2 years, 1 month 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, 1 month 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, 1 month 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 …

Turkey’s Erdogan: New ground offensive in Syria ‘when convenient’
2 years, 1 month ago

Turkey’s Erdogan: New ground offensive in Syria ‘when convenient’

Al Jazeera  

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that his country’s air operations against the YPG militia in northern Syria were only the beginning and that it would launch a land operation there when convenient. Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey was more determined than ever to secure its southern border with a “security corridor” while ensuring the territorial integrity of …

Why has the Turkish military ramped up operations near Syria?
2 years, 1 month ago

Why has the Turkish military ramped up operations near Syria?

Al Jazeera  

Turkey says it is determined to secure its southern border. Turkey’s defence ministry says its forces have hit nearly 500 targets in Kurdish-held areas since Sunday. Turkey is also reporting casualties among fighters from the SDF – the Syrian Democratic Forces. Since 2016, Turkish forces have conducted three ground operations to clear out YPG fighters from northern Syria. Presenter: Adrian …

Erdogan threatens Syria ground operation ‘as soon as possible’
2 years, 1 month ago

Erdogan threatens Syria ground operation ‘as soon as possible’

Al Jazeera  

Erdogan’s comments come as Russia calls for restraint, despite understanding Turkey’s ‘security concerns’. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hinted that Ankara is planning to deploy ground forces to attack Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units, or YPG, forces based across the border in Syria. The Kremlin has said Russia respects Turkey’s “legitimate” security concerns over Syria but added that all parties …

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