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SYRIA-CONFLICT-TURKEY
Turkey says to launch new operation against Syria Kurd militia within days
ANKARA, Dec 12, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Turkey will launch a new operation in
Syria within days against a US-backed Kurdish militia that Ankara considers a
terrorist group, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.
“We will start an operation to free the east of the Euphrates from the
separatist terrorist organisation in the next few days,” Erdogan said during
a speech in Ankara, referring to territory held by the Kurdish People’s
Protection Units (YPG).
Turkey says the YPG is a “terrorist offshoot” of the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state
since 1984.
The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.
“The target is never American soldiers but terrorist organisation members
active in the region,” Erdogan told the audience at a defence industry
summit.
American forces have worked closely with the YPG under the Kurdish-led
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance against the Islamic State (IS)
extremist group.
There are American forces with the SDF east of the Euphrates as well as in
the flashpoint city of Manbij, which is west of the river.
Washington’s relationship with the YPG, seen as a key ally, is one of the
main sources of tensions between Turkey and the United States. Ankara has
repeatedly lambasted Washington for providing military support to the Kurdish
militia.
Erdogan has previously threatened to attack areas held by the YPG. In a bid
to avoid any clash, the NATO allies agreed a “roadmap” for Manbij in June.
The Pentagon separately on Tuesday announced US observation posts on the
northeast Syria border region intended to prevent altercations between the
Turkish army and the YPG despite calls from Ankara not to go ahead with the
move.
Erdogan claimed Turkey was not being protected from terrorists but
“terrorists were being protected” from possible action by Turkey.
Turkey has previously launched two operations in northern Syria. The first
offensive began in August 2016 with Turkish forces supporting Syrian
opposition fighters against IS and was completed by March 2017.
Then in January 2018, Turkish military forces backed Syrian rebels to clear
the YPG from its northwestern enclave of Afrin.
In March, the operation was completed with the capture of Afrin city.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1836 hrs