Rojava security source undermines Turkey’s fresh military threat

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The latest threat of military force made by top Turkish officials this week against Kurdish forces in Syria is nothing but a reaction to successful meetings of Kurdish officials with the US, a security source told Rudaw English.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that their forces were targeted by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which makes up most of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Azaz, northwest Syria. Two Turkish policemen were killed in the missile attack, according to Turkey’s defense ministry.

“We have no patience left regarding some areas in Syria which are the source of attacks on our country,” Erdogan told reporters. “We are determined to eliminate the threats emanating from these places either together with the forces active there or with our own means.”

He said another attack, carried out with projectiles, in Turkey’s Gaziantep province was “the final straw.” The incident occured across the Syrian border. Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu renewed Erdogan’s threats on Wednesday.

“Turkey’s threats never stopped,” the Rojava security source said on the condition of anonymity, counting the attacks Turkey has carried out against the SDF in recent years. “The last statement [by Erdogan] did not make any changes to Turkey’s position on the ground.”

The SDF’s political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), held meetings with top American officials in Washington recently. The security source told Rudaw that this is the main reason behind Turkey’s fresh threats as it has openly opposed any political or military achievement for Syrian Kurds.

Turkey considers the YPG and SDF as threats to its national security, claiming that they are affiliated to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - an armed group seeking greater political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey, but designated a terrorist organization by the country.

Ankara supports Kurdish opposition group, Kurdish National Council (ENKS), which is a member of the Turkey-affiliated Syrian opposition. ENKS was also in the US last month, meeting with US officials as part of the opposition team. Turkey claims it does not have any problem with Syrian Kurds, just with PKK-affiliated groups.

Turkey has carried out two military operations against the SDF in recent years. The Turkish army and its Syrian proxies invaded Afrin in March 2018 and invaded Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad) towns in October 2019.

Turkey mostly blames the Kurdish fighters for attacks in areas it controls in northern Syria, including those that took place in Afrin, Jarabulus and Azaz. The SDF has denied these attacks several times, saying it has no troops in these areas. The force also denied any role in recent attacks as well.

“Our forces have nothing to do with the bombing of Jarabulus city or the Turkish border. We believe it is a repeated Turkish intelligence game, planned through mercenaries supported by the Erdogan regime, and the Turkish people know them well,” read a short statement from the SDF on Monday.

The US embassy in Turkey condemned the Azaz and Gaziantep attacks. However, Cavusoglu described the condemnation as “insincere” due to the US military’s support to the SDF.