ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday said it launched a covert operation against alleged spies and infiltrators claiming they work for Turkey, arresting dozens in the process.
The operation, dubbed Oath, was conducted by the SDF in several areas under its control, including parts of the provinces of Hasaka, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Aleppo, and “resulted in arresting 36 persons involved in espionage activities,” the US-backed force reported.
“The Turkish occupying state and its intelligence work extensively to create spy networks and agents and allocated a large budget,” the SDF said, calling the alleged Turkish recruitment of spies and agents within SDF-held territories a method of “undermining the trust of our people and arousing suspicion and skepticism.”
The operation coincides with growing concern over a fresh Turkish operation in northern Syria, with Ankara targeting key leaders of the SDF and launching a spate of drone attacks on Manbij and Tal Rifaat – areas it seeks to seize control of.
The SDF claimed that the spy and agents network have inflicted casualties in the force’s ranks, severely damaging the region.
Last week, the SDF confirmed the death of one of its commanders and two other fighters who were killed by a Turkish drone a day prior. General Commander Mazloum Abdi vowed revenge for their deaths while US Central Command offered condolences to their families.
Turkey says its new offensive into northern Syria is aimed at expelling Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF and a force that Ankara considers to be the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Both the YPG and the PKK are designated as terrorist organizations by Turkey, and Ankara on Wednesday said it had killed 25 YPG fighters in northern Syria.
The US on Tuesday called for an “immediate de-escalation” in northern Syria, expressing concern over the offensive potentially setting back years of progress made in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).
