Turkey 'completes' preparations for Syria offensive

18:21, October 08, 2019

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  Turkey's offensive in Syria risks serious consequences: Pentagon

  (Photo: CGTN)WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has told his Turkish counterpart that Turkish military operation in northeast Syria risks serious consequences for Ankara, the Pentagon said in a statement on Friday.In a phone conversation on Thursday with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Esper noted that Washington opposes Ankaras military operations in Syria as they risk the "progress made by the Defeat-ISIS Coalition," according to the statement.Esper also noted that Turkish offensive risks serious consequences for Turkey, but the Pentagon chief did not elaborate."Secretary Esper strongly encouraged Turkey to discontinue actions in northeastern Syria in order to increase the possibility that the United States, Turkey and our partners could find a common way to deescalate the situation before it becomes irreparable," the statement said.US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he hopes to mediate between Turkey and the Syrian Kurds, and also threatened to punish Turkey if its offensive in northeast Syria goes beyond limits.A senior state department official reaffirmed Trumps warning to Turkey in a teleconference briefing later in the day, saying that the United States is willing to impose significant costs if "Turkey acts in a way that is disproportionate, inhumane, or otherwise goes beyond the lines that the President has in his own mind."US lawmakers from both parties had announced a framework for sanctions against Turkey, which includes sanctions on senior Turkish government officials and prohibition of all US military business and transactions with Turkey, among others.Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu responded on Thursday that Turkey would retaliate if the United States imposed sanctions over its offensive into northeast Syria, according to media reports.Turkey regards the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as an extension of Turkeys Kurdistan Workers P...

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  Turkey launches offensive against Kurdish fighters in Syria

  Shortly after the Turkish operation inside Syria had started, local residents cheer and applaud as a convoy of Turkish forces vehicles is driven through the town of Akcakale, Sanliurfa province, southeastern Turkey, at the border between Turkey and Syria, October 9, 2019. (Photo: AP)Turkey launched airstrikes and fired artillery aimed at crushing Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on Wednesday after U.S. troops pulled back from the area, paving the way for an assault on forces that have long been allied with the United States.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign, which followed an abrupt decision Sunday by U.S. President Donald Trump that American troops would step aside to allow for the operation.Trump’s move, which has drawn harsh bipartisan opposition at home, represented a shift in U.S. policy that essentially abandoned the Syrian Kurdish fighters who have been America’s only allies inside Syria in the fight against the Islamic State group.After Turkey’s offensive began, there was sign of panic in the streets of Ras al-Ayn— one of the towns under attack with residential areas close to the borders. Cars raced to safety, although it was not clear if they were leaving the town or heading away from border areas. Near the town of Qamishli, plumes of smoke were seen rising from an area close to the border after activists reported sounds of explosion nearby.At least one member of the Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces was killed in the Turkish bombardment, Kurdish activists and a Syria war monitor said.Turkey’s campaign — in which a NATO member is raining down bombs on an area where hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed — drew immediate criticism and calls for restraint from Europe.“Coalition forces are not near the places Turkey has struck so far,” an official with the U.S.-led coalition told The Associated Press.The Kurdish forces have warned of a “humanitarian catastrophe” that could potentially ...

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  Turkey's offensive might reignite Syria tension

  Turkish military vehicles carrying tanks head to the Syrian border as farmers work in a cotton field in Akcakale, Turkey，October 12, 2019. (Photo: VCG)Editors Note: Dr. Wang Jin is a research fellow of Charhar Institute in China and a research fellow from Syria Research Center of Northwest University in China. The article reflects the authors opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.After U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw U.S. military presence from northern Syria, Turkish military forces and Ankara-backed Syrian rebel groups started to launch offensive against the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) forces in northern Syria. Turkeys latest offensive might further worsen the tension in northern Syria and bring new risks and challenges to Syrian peace process.Turkeys concernsAfter Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, Turkey mainly have two concerns. The first one is that it fears that the PYD and its military group, Syrian Kurdish People Protection Units (YPG) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will establish a powerful base at northern Syria. From 2014 to 2015, the PYD became the major forces in northern Syria to resist the expansion of ISIS and started to retake large territories from ISIS. Therefore the PYD has been perceived by international society as an important ally to counter terrorism in Syria, and the U.S. and many European countries would also provide PYD with financial and weaponry support.However, from Ankaras perspective, the PYD is the major branch of the "terrorist group", Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), in southern Turkey seeking establish an independent Kurdish country. Ankara therefore defined the PYD as "terrorist group" on different occasions and promised to eliminate the presence of PYD in northern Syria.Turkeys second concern is the settlement of more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees, which have been a long-time burden for Tur...