US officials 'extremely concerned' over Turkish threats of Syria incursion

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Four US officials on Wednesday voiced concerns over Turkey’s “continued threats” to launch another military operation into northern Syria, adding that previous incursions have disrupted the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).

“We are extremely concerned about continued threats by Turkey to begin another military incursion into northern Syria,” read a statement from House Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Michael McCaul, along with Senators Bob Menendez and Jim Risch. 

“Previous Turkish incursions have disrupted counter-ISIS operations by U.S. and partner forces and exacerbated Syria’s dire humanitarian crisis,” the officials said in the statement, adding that another incursion would have similar “disastrous results” including displacement of countless Syrians.

In late May, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara would soon launch a new military operation into northern Syria to create a 30 kilometer “security zone” along its southern border. The offense is likely aimed at pushing back Kurdish fighters from the area.

Russia, the US, and the UN have all previously called on Turkey to refrain from embarking on the military escalation in northern Syria.

The Syrian parliament on Monday condemned Turkey’s recent threats, stating that the aim of the “illegitimate” intervention was to revive “illusions” of a safe zone and create demographic change. 

Ahmet Davutoglu, former Turkish PM and leader of the Future Party on Sunday responded to claims made recently that Turkey has attempted to carry out demographic change in Syria, stating that such an occurrence was not in the best interest of Turkey, as most of those who were displaced in Syria are now refugees in Turkey.

Turkey has launched two offensives against Kurdish fighters in Syria since 2018. It alleges that Syria’s main Kurdish militia, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), is allied with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey and viewed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.

Following its order of the last incursion against them in 2019, Ankara and Moscow agreed that Russian military police and Syrian border guards would drive the fighters 30 kilometers away from the Turkish border.

The recent talks of launching a new offensive in Syria come as Turkey threatens to block the NATO membership of Finland and Sweden, alleging their support for the PKK.