A U.S. official said the creation of an “Islamic State-free zone” would ensure greater security and stability in the Turkish-Syrian border region.
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In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said that any joint military efforts with Turkey would not include the imposition of a no-fly zone. The official insisted on anonymity because this person was not authorized to publicly discuss the talks with Turkey. The fact that this zone will be under the authority of some as-of-yet-to-be-determined Syrian opposition forces with Turkish and American protection from the air makes it significantly less likely that the Kurds will achieve their aims.
Though the U.S. insists that the plan is meant as a move against IS and not one against Assad, the majority of Turkish and Syrian insurgents prioritize toppling Assad’s regime in Syria over scaling back the Islamic State.
Turkey has given a green light to the United States to use of its Incirlik air base to attack IS targets in Syria after months of tough negotiations.
In a series of cross border strikes since Friday, Turkey has not only targeted the IS group but also Kurdish fighters affiliated with forces battling the extremists in Syria and Iraq.
The armed wing of the PYD has emerged as the only notable partner so far on the ground for the U.S.-led alliance as it fights against Islamic State in northern Syria. While it hasn’t been determined how deep the strip would extend into Syria, it would mean an additional “safe zone” for Syrian refugees.
The psychologist said the Turkish government is definitely looking the other way while ISIS militants are treated in its hospitals before returning to combat in Syria.
But Turkish officials dismissed the claims, insisting their forces were only targeting the IS group in Syria, and the PKK in neighbouring Iraq.
In order for Turkey to support a “safe zone”, the nation would have to cooperate with multiple Syrian opposition groups, a senior Syrian opposition official told CNN on Monday. “So what happens when we set up a safe zone there and the Syrians want to conduct operations against people we’re supporting?”
“The government has equated the PKK with IS and, although they are two very different entities, this serves the government’s intentions”, said Marc Pierini, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe.
“Our operations only target IS in Syria and PKK in Iraq”, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of rules that bar officials from speaking to journalists without authorization.
The YPG’s leadership in Kobane announced that some locations of the YPG and FSA fighters in the village of Zor Maghar (35 km west of Kobane) were exposed to bombardment by the Turkish army with artillery and heavy weapons. Conflicting reports are common in the aftermath of violent incidents.
The potentially game-changing accord with the US was revealed as Turkey fuelled the growing anger of its Kurdish minority by shelling a Kurdish-held village in northern Syria while its warplanes continued to pound Kurdish targets in northern Iraq.
Turkey’s semiofficial Anadolu news agency reported Monday that more than 1,000 people have been detained in its anti-terror operations.
Police said that 15 people suspected of ties to IS were arrested in raids in the province of Ankara Monday.
The statement also said that under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, ambassadors of all 28 NATO allies would meet in Brussels on Tuesday following Ankara’s request amid Turkey’s operations against the outlawed organizations.
Forced into battle against Islamic State as it presses on Turkey’s borders, President Tayyip Erdogan is seizing the chance to keep another foe in check, bombing Kurdish militants he sees as a threat to the integrity of the Turkish state.
What’s more, Turkish leaders “have actually been arguing that the Kurds in Syria are more of a threat to Turkey”, Kearns told the AP.
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Brett McGurk, a U.S. deputy special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter the Islamic State, seemed to distance the U.S. from the strike on the Kurds, commenting on Twitter over the weekend that there was no connection between the attack and a recent agreement with Turkey to intensify cooperation against IS. This was the first time the Turkish military has taken direct action against the terrorist group.
