Mazloum Abdi, general commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Force (SDF), said in a tweet late Wednesday that he agrees with Swedish FM Ann Linde that Turkey should withdraw from their territories.
“[W]e support Sweden's call for Turkey to withdraw its forces from Syria & work on a political solution that respects Syria's territorial integrity & political diversity,” said Abdi.
Linde reiterated to her Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara on Tuesday that Turkey must withdraw from Rojava.
“I have been clear about our position regarding northeast Syria but the strong EU position remains the same. We continue to urge Turkey to withdraw,” Linde said during a joint presser.
Cavusoglu responded to her comment with criticism for the visiting minister’s word choice. “In diplomacy, it is incorrect and arrogant to use the word ‘urge’. Therefore it is not a correct approach, but a wrong word,” said the Turkish minister.
Elham Ahmad, President of the Executive Committee of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) – the political arm of the SDF – commended the Swedish minister’s comments.
“Our gratitude and respect to The Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs @AnnLinde who asked Turkey very clearly to withdraw from Syria and her unconditional support for the people of NES [The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria]. A great position of a strong and powerful woman and human rights defender,” tweeted Ahmed.
Turkey has carried out three military operations against Kurdish fighters in Syria since 2016. Syrian Kurds commemorated the first anniversary of the latest one, Operation Peace Spring, on Friday.
Ahmed was received by Linde in Stockholm on October 17, 2019, one week after Turkey launched its military operation.
At the time, the Swedish minister thanked Syrian Kurds for fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) and called on Ankara to end the offensive, according to Swedish state-funded Sveriges Radio.
Turkey considers the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) - backbone of the SDF - the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - an armed group struggling for increased political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey.
.JPG&w=3840&q=75)