Senior US officials report that Turkey and its allied militias are bolstering forces along the Syrian border, raising concerns that Ankara is preparing for a large-scale invasion into territories controlled by US-backed Syrian Kurds.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the forces include militia fighters, Turkish commandos, and significant artillery deployments near Kobani, a Kurdish-majority town on the northern Syrian border. A US official indicated that a Turkish cross-border operation could be imminent.
The military buildup, which began after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in early December, mirrors Turkey’s movements prior to its 2019 invasion of northeast Syria. Another US official stated that the situation is being closely monitored and that Washington is urging Ankara to show restraint.
Ilham Ahmed, an official of the Kurdish-led Syrian political administration, reportedly told President-elect Donald Trump on Monday that a Turkish military operation seems likely, urging him to persuade President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan not to send troops across the border. Ahmed expressed concern that Turkey’s goal is to establish de facto control of Kurdish territories before Trump takes office, which would pressure him into cooperating with Ankara.
Ahmed also warned Trump of catastrophic consequences if the invasion goes ahead, according to The Wall Street Journal.
A spokesperson for Turkey’s embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
The threat of a Turkish incursion has left the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who cooperate with US troops in northeast Syria to combat ISIS remnants, in a precarious position as the Biden administration’s term nears its end. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Turkey last week to discuss Syria’s future with Erdoğan and seek assurances that Ankara would limit operations against Kurdish forces.
However, US-brokered ceasefire talks between the Syrian Kurds and Turkish forces in Kobani reportedly collapsed on Monday without reaching an agreement. An SDF spokesperson highlighted significant military buildups to the east and west of the city, describing a rising sense of threat among civilians.
Ahmed stated that Turkish forces are visibly amassing across the border, leaving Kurdish civilians under the constant threat of death and destruction.
The removal of Syrian leader Assad by rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda, has exacerbated instability in the country, intensifying clashes between Syrian Kurds and Turkish-backed rebels. Assad’s ousting has also escalated Turkish operations against the SDF, whom Ankara views as an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
On Monday, Trump reportedly said that Turkey had facilitated HTS’s takeover in Syria, describing the event as a hostile but relatively bloodless power grab.
Ahmed warned that a Turkish invasion could displace over 200,000 Kurdish civilians in Kobani alone, along with numerous Christian communities.
During Trump’s first term, his partial withdrawal of US troops from northeast Syria allowed for a significant Turkish offensive that killed and displaced hundreds of thousands of Syrians. The Trump administration later negotiated a ceasefire, under which the Kurds ceded several miles of border territory to Turkish forces.
Although Trump will not assume office from President Biden until 20 January, Ahmed urged him to use his diplomatic influence to convince Erdoğan to halt any planned operation. She referred to a previous meeting with Trump, where he had assured that the United States would not abandon the Kurds.
Ahmed reportedly expressed confidence that Trump has the ability to prevent the situation, pointing out that Erdoğan had previously responded positively to Trump’s intervention. She urged him to take decisive action to stop the invasion, protect Kurdish allies, and preserve stability in the region.
Also read: Turkey’s objectives in Syria
Source: ANA-MPA/WSJ
