Erdogan says US continues to support ‘terrorism’ in Syria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said that the United States continues to support “terrorism” in Syria, referring to Kurdish-led armed forces, adding that Turkey has no intention to grab Syrian territory. 

“It is the US and coalition forces that primarily feed terrorism in Syria, they did it ruthlessly and they still do it,” Erdogan was quoted as having told reporters on board the presidential plane following his visit to Ukraine, noting that Turkey has no eyes on territories of Syria and that their main concern remains the fight against “terrorism”.

Ankara has recently increased its attacks on areas in northern and northeastern Syria (Rojava), targeting the the People’s Protection Unit (YPG), the backbone of the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it considers to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist group by Turkey.

Erdogan added that the US has also supported terrorist organizations in Iraq, without elaborating further with examples, saying “if there is unrest in Iraq today, unfortunately, America lies behind it.”

US-Turkish relations have been rocky since US President Joe Biden assumed office in January 2021 mainly due to US concerns about human rights issues in Turkey under Erdogan. However, recent efforts by Erdogan to mediate between Russia and Ukraine have turned Erdogan into an important player, leading to the Biden administration considering supplying Ankara with F-16 fighter jets. 

The US-led coalition launched an invasion of Iraq in 2003, under the pretext of disarming toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime of weapons of mass destruction. The invasion is widely viewed as one of the main factors of Iraq’s political instability since the war. 

Iraq is currently experiencing a deepening political crisis, with mass nation-wide protests decrying the delay in government formation, 10 months following the parliamentary elections of October 2021, and calling for the dissolution of the current legislature and holding of new snap elections.

Turkey has recently renewed threats to carry out a new military operation against the SDF in northern Syria’s Manbij and Tal Rifaat towns in a bid to complete the 30 kilometer “safe zone” it began creating along its southern borders.

Turkish forces shelled Syria’s northern towns of Kobane and Tal Tamir on Monday, killing and injuring several civilians, including a 14-year-old child. 
The Syrian government and its main ally Russia have expressed their opposition to Erdogan’s plans to create a “safe zone,” calling it a violation of Syria’s territorial integrity. The latest remarks by the Turkish president deny Turkey has the intention to violate Syrian territory. 

Turkey’s relations with Russia have been tested by the conflict in Syria, where they have backed opposing sides, and most recently by the war in Ukraine. Ankara has sought to maintain its neutrality, with Erdogan emerging as a mediator between Moscow and Kyiv. 

Erdogan reassured that Turkey coordinates closely with Russia on any move it makes in Syria. Earlier this month, Erdogan told reporters that Putin had advised him to cooperate with the Syrian regime, in its fight against “terrorism” in Syria.