Two senior SDF officials warned that U.S. criticisms of Turkey's plans to launch a new ground war in Syria were not enough 'to deter the Turks.'
The Turkish officials argue that it was the"PKK/YPG terrorist organization" that,"for long, has been collaborating with DAESH and its affiliates to stage attacks in the west of Euphrates against Syrians — about which we duly informed all the relevant interlocutors."
The officials argued that the group's"cruel side" went beyond the recent attack in Istanbul, and could be seen in the fact that"the number of terrorist attacks emanating from Syria and targeting Turkish soldiers as well as civilians alike has reached well over 2,000." Redirecting SDF claims against the group itself, the Turkish officials argued that it was the PKK and YPG that had targeted schools and other civilian areas.
As a NATO member, Turkey also gets a vote on major decisions undertaken by the alliance, including a recent decision to admit Finland and Sweden. Erdogan had previously come out against the move, citing what he saw as a lax policy on the part of the two Nordic states toward the PKK, though the Biden administration has sought to smooth out these tensions to reach a mutually agreeable solution.
As for the Biden administration's current position on the situation in Syria, U.S. officials have been careful to both acknowledge Turkey's concerns over potential PKK actions while ultimately calling for its ally to de-escalate. "While we do not comment on diplomatic discussions, we can say that many U.S. officials have emphasized to their Turkish counterparts that military escalation that destabilizes the situation in Syria will not resolve Turkey's legitimate security concerns related to terrorism," the spokesperson said."We have urged all parties to immediately de-escalate."
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