US, Russia urge restraint as Turkiye puts Syrian Kurds in crosshairs
Pentagon says it is ‘deeply concerned’ by any escalation, which threatens lives of US personnel working in northern Syria
The US and Russia have urged restraint from Turkiye after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted at an imminent ground operation against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.
Turkiye accused the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and its Syrian YPG offshoot for a Nov. 13 bombing in Istanbul that killed six people and injured more than 80. Authorities say a Syrian woman with alleged links to the PKK planted the bomb. Ankara launched cross-border air raids early on Sunday, heightening the prospect of a ground operation to help create a 30 km buffer zone that would push Kurdish fighters away from its southern border. Meanwhile, rockets fired from northern Syria recently hit the Turkish border town of Karkamis and killed three civilians, including a teacher and a five-year-old boy. “We have been bearing down on terrorists for a few days with our planes, cannons and guns,” Erdogan said on Tuesday. “God willing, we will eradicate all of them as soon as possible.
The Pentagon said it was “deeply concerned” by any escalation, which it said threatened the lives of US personnel working with Kurdish allies in northern Syria.
“As we call for de-escalation, we recognize Turkiye’s legitimate security concerns. We will continue to discuss with Turkiye and our local partners maintaining ceasefire arrangements,” it said.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said a day earlier that Russia understood Turkiye’s legitimate security concerns but warned against further escalation.
Aydin Sezer, an Ankara-based expert on Turkiye-Russia relations, said that Moscow would not categorically reject a Turkish ground operation in Syria. Ties have grown closer between the two countries after years of hostility.
“But, Russia would ask Turkiye to avoid a full-scale Syria offensive.
To restrict the scope and the duration of the operation, Russia may use the Iran card to put brakes on Turkiye, and will intervene, as a savior, when there is a need for intermediation on the ground,” he told Arab News.