ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Any no-fly zone established over northern Syria firstly must emphasize the protection of civilian lives, the spokesperson for the dominate local force told Rudaw TV on Wednesday.
"At this stage, many things are being talked about regarding a no-fly zone... The no-fly must be to protect civilians,” said Kino Gabriel from Ain Issa.
The spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces emphasized that any no-fly zone should not be under Turkish control but the international community.
He dismissed claims of that the SDF has been informed by the United States of plans to establish a safe zone on the Turkey-Syria border.
"After the US decision to withdraw from eastern Syria and northern areas of Syria... there are many options before us to reach a solution for the post-US withdrawal. We are seeking a political solution to protect the people of Syria,” said Gabriel.
The SDF will continue their coordination with the international coalition even if the US withdraws.
"As SDF we are part of the Syrian nation and land. There is no other place for us to go to. We are tasked with protecting people and it is the duty of the SDF to do so. All of our forces are backed by the coalition and whatever Turkey claims is illogical,” said Gabriel.
A suicide attack killed four Americans in Manbij on Wednesday. Video showed the explosion outside of a popular restaurant frequented by coalition members and locals.
It occurred as President Donald Trump has announced the US will withdraw from Syria. A timetable for the withdrawal has not been set, as senior lawmakers in his own party and Evangelical Christians are increasingly questioning the move.
Northern Syria, or Rojava, as it is called by Kurds is one of the most diverse places in the Middle East — home to Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Armenians, Christians, and Yezidis among others.
The predominately-Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG) comprises the backbone of the SDF that is the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS’s partnered ground force.
“Any US withdrawal from Manbij after the suicide bombing yesterday would be a clear signal to all terrorists around the world of the usefulness of their operations and would motivate them to expand the scope of terrorism around the world,” the political arm of the YPG, the PYD, tweeted on Thursday.
Any US withdrawal from Manbaj after the suicide bombing yesterday would be a clear signal to all terrorists around the world of the usefulness of their operations and would motivate them to expand the scope of terrorism around the world.
— pyd rojava (@PYD_Rojava) January 17, 2019
The PYD fear Turkish threats of an offensive in the lands they have liberated from ISIS and are working to stabilize through local and diverse military and civil councils.
Ankara regularly calls the PYD, YPG, and SDF no different than ISIS. It also conflates the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) with the YPG. Turkey has said it will protect Kurds, but not “terrorists.”
The idea of a no-fly zone for northern Syria has been floated by Ambassador James Jeffrey, the US State Department special envoy for Syria engagement.
“Remember, we were present not in northern Iraq, but over northern Iraq in Operation Northern Watch for 13 years,” he said in December.
Although he hinted the United States may not be the enforcers of such an operation.
“That can be a UN force,” he said. “Under [resolution] 2254, there is language on a UN-managed and operated ceasefire. That can be partner forces. That can be other countries’ forces,” he said at the time.
Analysts have doubted the feasibility of a no-fly zone due to international complexities in the Syrian battle space.
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