US ‘concerned’ by Turkey’s plan along Syrian border
WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday raised concern over Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s plans to launch new military operations along the country’s southern border, saying any new offensive in northern Syria would undermine regional stability and put US troops at risk.
“We are deeply concerned about reports and discussions of potential increased military activity in northern Syria, and in particular, its impact on the civilian population there,” State Department spokesperson Ned
Price said.
“We recognise Turkey’s legitimate security concerns on Turkey’s southern border, but any new offensive would further undermine regional stability and put at risk US forces and the coalition’s campaign against Isis,” he said.
Mr Erdogan on Monday said Ankara would soon launch new military operations along its southern borders to create safe zones 30 kilometres deep to combat what he characterised as terrorist threats from these regions.
The operation will likely target the north of Syria, where Turkey has launched several military operations since 2016 to undermine the Kurdish People’s Defence Units (YPG), an armed Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Ankara has conducted three incursions into northern Syria since 2016, seizing hundreds of kilometres of land and pushing some 30 km deep into the country, in operations targeting mainly the US-backed Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. It has also stepped up military operations against PKK militants in northern Iraq in recent years.
The US is expecting Turkey to live up to a October 2019 statement, including a halt in offensives in northeastern Syria. Mr Price said, “We condemn any escalation. We support maintenance of the current ceasefire lines.”