Erdogan hints at military action against YPG

“The conditions aren’t in place for such an operation. We might witness some short-lived cross-border firing or operations. The symbolic significance will be higher than the real military or geopolitical impact,” Dalay said.

Dalay added that the US will try its best to defuse tensions between the YPG and Turkey.

“I don’t think we’ll witness the kind of fighting between Turkey and the YPG that occurred between Turkey and Daesh during Operation Euphrates Shield, because any clash with the YPG would lead to fullfledged battles on many fronts such as Turkey, Syria and Iraq,” Dalay said.

“I sensed some toning down in Erdogan’s discourse on the YPG when he said Turkey will react if the YPG targets Turkey,” Dalay added. “That means a reactive response rather than a proactive assault on the YPG.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the US provided Turkey with guarantees that heavy weapons given to the YPG will only be used to liberate Raqqa from Daesh, not against Turkey under any circumstances.

Experts expect military action in Shingal, a PKK-occupied town in northern Iraq near the Turkish border.

Last month, Turkish warplanes carried out a wave of airstrikes against Kurdish positions in Iraq and northern Syria.

The YPG in Syria and the Peshmerga in Iraq, which are part of the anti-Daesh coalition, said their forces were targeted in the strikes.

“Such an operation (in Shingal) will probably have the blessing of the US and the KDP (Kurdish Democratic Party), maybe not that overtly,” Dalay said.