Syria
Turkish-backed Syrian Arab fighters staff a checkpoint in the Kurdish-majority city of Afrin in northern Syria after seizing control of it from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) on March 18, 2018. Omar Haj Kadour/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria on Saturday condemned Turkey’s recent attacks in the north of the country, calling them a “violation of international law” and its sovereignty, as Ankara continues its recently launched operations targeting Kurdish fighters.
Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement saying they were following the “hostile” actions by Turkey, and its constant violations of Syrian sovereignty “which has claimed the lives of a number of innocent people.”
In late May, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a new military offensive into northern Syria to create a 30 kilometer “safe zone” along its southern border. It is aimed to push back Kurdish fighters from the area.
“The hostile threats of the Turkish regime constitute a blatant violation of international law and the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic,” read the statement from the Syrian ministry, adding that the recent operation undermined the previously reached understandings about “de-escalation”.
The statements coincided with ongoing Turkish bombardment in parts of northern Syria. At least six soldiers of the Syrian army were injured as a result of Turkish shelling in Tel Tamer’s Umm al-Kif village on Saturday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Russia, the United States, and the United Nations have all expressed concern in regards to Turkey’s latest military operation, urging Ankara to maintain the current ceasefire lines.
Erdogan on Wednesday said Ankara was clearing Tal Rifaat and Manbij from “terrorists,” a term it uses to refer to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and groups it alleges to be affiliated to them, as a part of its new military operation in northern Syria.
Dozens of shells targeted villages and district Manbij in an offensive that started on late Thursday evening and continued until the morning hours of Friday.
Turkey has launched two offensives against Kurdish fighters in Syria since 2018. It alleges that the fighters are allied with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey and is viewed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.
Mazloum Abdi, general commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told Reuters on Sunday that his forces would be open to coordinating with Syrian government troops to fend off a Turkish invasion, adding that Damascus should use its air defence systems against Turkish planes.
The commander said in an interview late Friday that Russia had provided assurances that they will not tolerate a new military operation by Turkey against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.
Updated at 5:58 pm
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