At volatile Syrian frontline, US, Turkey on opposing sides

US TROOPS INCREASE PRESENCE ‘IN NOTICEABLE WAY’ AS TURKEY TRIES TO PUSH TO MANBIJ

Perched on a green hilltop, Kurdish and Arab fighters face a tense frontline separating them from Turkishbacked forces in this part of northern Syria. Behind them, American troops drive up and down the roads. Their aim: Make their presence known to prevent bursts of gunfire from spiralling into a battle.

Down the hill and across a stream are the rival forces: Syrian opposition fighters. They have taken positions on a crossroads in the village of Halawanji and on rooftops with views up to the hill. Beyond them, on another hill, Turkish troops have a base, ready to back up their allies if needed.

This front line threatens to ignite at any time, with the militaries of two Nato members on opposing sides. The crowded terrain has become more combustible as Turkey ever more loudly threatens to push through these lines to attack the nearby Kurdish-Arab town of Manbij and other Kurdishrun towns further east. The presence of the Americans is a main obstacle preventing them from doing so.

Further hiking tensions, a roadside bomb in Manbij late Thursday killed two coalition personnel, an American and a Briton. Kurdish officials accuse Turkey and its allies of carrying out acts of violence in the town to sow instability, including several recent smaller bombings, protests and an attempted assassination attempt on a Kurdish official.

Manbij is highly strategic: the main town on the westernmost edge of the stretch of Syrian territory held by the USbacked Syrian Kurds, running along the border with Turkey.

US troops first deployed in the area about 16 months ago, after Turkish-backed Syrian forces advanced on areas near Manbij.

The US-backed Syrian fighters at Halwanji say their Turkish-backed rivals downhill increasingly open fire on them, trying to provoke a fight and create a pretext for an incursion.

One commander said it happens as often as three times a week. Another said the “provocations” increased after Turkish troops and their allies successfully captured another town further west, Afrin, from the YPG. On Thursday, one commander, Abu Ali Nejm, said US troops have increased their presence “in a noticeable way” in the area in recent days to prevent an eruption of violence.

Turkey warns France

Turkey yesterday warned France against increasing its military presence in Syria, saying it would be an “invasion”.

Temperatures were raised after French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday met a delegation of the SDF. Kurdish officials said afterwards France was planning to send new troops to Manbij “If France takes any steps regarding its military presence in northern Syria, this would be an illegitimate step that would go against international law and in fact, it would be an invasion,” Turkish Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli said.