As Turkey prepared to launch a military operation against the Kurdish factions in northern Syria, the Pentagon called on all sides to calm down, saying it took Ankara’s concern over the PKK.
US Defense Department spokesman Adrian Rankin-Galway said Monday that the US-led international coalition to fight against Daesh was not launching military operations in the Syrian city of Afrin under the predominantly Kurdish “Syrian Democratic Forces” coalition in Aleppo countryside north of Syria.
The United States is working closely with its NATO allies, including Turkey, on Washington’s support for the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, a key structure of the Syrian Democratic Forces, as an indispensable partner in the operations, Rankin-Garlawi said. Against “dashing” in Syria.
“We understand Turkey’s concern about the security of PKK activity, which classifies a terrorist organization in the United States, we do not offer any support to the” Kurdistan”.
Ankara lists the Democratic Unionist Party (PYD) and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), a military arm, as terrorist organizations linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey.
The statement comes as Turkey continues to mobilize its troops in the border state of Hattay, opposite the Syrian city of Afrin, on Monday sent a new boost of military reinforcements including 24 armored vehicles to transport soldiers in addition to electronic jamming.
At the same time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that his country’s forces have completed their preparations to launch a military operation to comb the cities of Afrin and Manbaj in northern Syria, vowing the United States to eliminate any new military force appearing in Syria “in its infancy.”
The Washington-based international coalition announced on Sunday its intention to cooperate with the “Syrian Democratic Forces” backed by it in the establishment of a new border force in Syria of 35 thousand fighters.
