Turkish airstrikes in Syria 'directly threaten' US personnel, says Pentagon

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States late Wednesday warned that the increased frequency of Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria directly threatens US personnel in the region, while expressing deep concern about the upsurge in hostilities in the region, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Turkey launched Operation Claw-Sword targeting Kurdish positions in northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region from the skies on Sunday. The operation has led to a barrage of dozens of drones and airstrikes targeting the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which presents a danger to US personnel as they maintain a presence in the proximity of the area.

"Recent airstrikes in Syria directly threaten the safety of U.S. personnel who are working in Syria with local partners to defeat ISIS [Islamic State] and maintain custody of more than ten thousand ISIS detainees," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement, adding that the US is "deeply concerned" by the escalations in northern Syria, Iraq, and Turkey.

The US Central Command on Wednesday said that a deadly Turkish drone strike against a joint Kurdish-American base that killed 2 SDF fighters put American forces in northern Syria in danger.

"We have received additional information that there was a new risk to US troops and personnel," CENTCOM said on Wednesday without further clarification.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price reiterated Ryder's calls, urging for "an immediate de-escalation in northern Syria" and stressing that such attacks pose a risk to civilians and US personnel in the region.

Ryder added that the escalation also "threatens the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS's years-long progress to degrade and defeat ISIS," after SDF media head Farhad Shami tweeted that the Kurdish force is suffering a setback in its mission to pursue ISIS remnants as it remains preoccupied with defending against the Turkish strikes.

Due to our forces' preoccupation with addressing the Turkish occupation, they cannot continue their mission of pursuing ISIS cells. Currently, we're forced to be preoccupied with confronting Turkish aggression.
Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the SDF

— Farhad Shami (@farhad_shami) November 23, 2022

"As we call for de-escalation, we recognize Turkey's legitimate security concerns," Ryder stated, with Turkey reiterating that the operation aims to target People's Protection Units (YPG) and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) positions in northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region – two groups which Turkey has designated as a terrorist organization which threatens its security and stability.

The PKK is a Kurdish armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey. Turkish forces regularly pursue the PKK, as well as individuals believed to be affiliated with the group through the use of drones, airstrikes, and targeted assassinations. It also considers the YPG as the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey would launch a ground operation in Syria "when convenient," warning that the aerial incursion was "just the beginning" during a meeting in Ankara as Turkish artillery strikes pounded the Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria, causing severe destruction to civilian infrastructure including a hospital.

At least 11 civilians have been killed by Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria since Ankara launched the aerial offensive on Sunday, according to data sent to Rudaw English by the Rojava Information Center (RIC).

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