Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said that the Turkish Army would respond to any attack by PYD/PKK militants on Turkey from the Afrin area in northern Syria. Kurtulmus stressed that any military or political support for the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) is considered by Turkey to be presented directly to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The Turkish deputy prime minister also said that the United States can’t continue its approach, stressing the need to take into account Turkey’s sensitivity in the matter of PYD/PKK and its activities in the area.
Kurtulmus stressed Turkey’s negative attitude towards the United States decision to provide weapons to the “terrorist” organization in northern Syria.
In Afrin, Kurdish sources claimed that Syrian Army cut off the Aleppo-Afrin road again for unknown reasons, and sources from Afrin claimed that the Russian Army had evacuated its base in Kafr Janah after the United States downed the Syrian warplane on June 18.
According to the same sources, Turkey is building fortifications and strengthen its positions on the border with Afrin, as the Turkish drones continue to fly overAfrin City and surrounding areas. Turkey seems to have a serious intention to launch a military operation in the area soon.
#Turkish army prepares for a ground incursion into #YPG-held #Kurdish canton #Efrin, northwestern #Syria. pic.twitter.com/jSrPVMMDTm
— Ali Özkök (@A_Ozkok) 29 June 2017
At the same time, the Russian military has denied that its military police had left the Afrin area. In this case, reports from Kurdish and Turkish sources on the issue may be considered as a part of the ongoing media standoff among various sides involved in the conflict.
Turkey responding to SDF attacks?????
It has been Turkey actively bombing, shelling SDF territory, starting more or less mid 2015, after liberation of Tel Abyad.
Of course it is easy : Just continue bombing and at any moment SDF will respond. That response is then “an attack” by the SDF. This is the way WWII started. A false flag operation of some Germans in polish uniform attacking a German borderpost and of course Germany had to respond to that “attack”.
Turkey is determined to attack it seems and any pretext will do.
As more and more FSA are defecting to the SDF and “fraternal” fights and killings between FSA factions continue, large scale attacks by FSA are getting to be more and more unlikely. TSK will have to do the job themselves and Turkeys expansion plans will become more and more blatant.
Assad will rue the day he and the Russians “agreed” to Turkey attacking Afrin. Syria will lose Idlib and maybe Afrin forever. Turkey will be happy with its nieuw colonies and then continue in Iraq.
On the other hand, the Rojava Kurds had been getting uppity, and were trying to stop the SAA from advancing eastwards to Deir Ezzor, thinking that the US was now their new best friend forever. It would seem that Damascus would rather have the Turks in Afrin and Idlib then the Kurds and US take East Syria. Letting the Turks have a go at the Afrin Kurds serves as a reminder to the Kurds that even with the US they are not invulnerable.
Also Russia plays the long game. If it can engineer a massive split between Turkey and the US, even in NATO, it´s probably worth a slice of Syria to them. And its not like the SAA is in any position to take those places back anyway. They can´t attack the SDF as that would bring them in direct conflict with the US, it can´t take Idlib, the headchoppers there are too strong. The only reason it can now take on ISIS is because it has been severely weakened. And even then ISIS still puts up a strong fight. How much progress has been made towards Suknah and Deir Ezzor this last week?
A hint: not much!
ISIS is now at its squeezing point. They can no more retreat as there are little avenues left hence even “not much” progress takes lot of effort to make. We should always appreciate the SAA’s valor and sacrifices they have made not only for Syria but for whole world. Psychopaths ruling West won’t ever understand that.
For the most part I agree with you.
As for DeZ, imo it was SAA trying to profit from SDF fighting by attacking IS very near to the SDF lines and trying to spoil the attack on Raqqah, which the SDF cannot allow.
Beyond that, Assad and Russians were and are getting worried about the sustainability of the SDF alliance. It is much more cohesive and effective then both Assad and Russia had estimated. The alliance between arabs abd kurds is very firm, see Manbij, Tabqah, Tell Rifaat and the SDF is starting to attract remaining moderate FSA fighters and commanders. With the SDF being able to create and concentrate an offensive force of some 30 to 40k fighters, together with more sophisticated heavier arms, they are becoming a force that can create local or even regional superiority over SAA forces that are widely divided over Syria.
As for Afrin, SAA cannot take it, it lacks the offensive capability. Assad can rather easilly come to terms with the SDF if he accepts federation or autonomy. SDF wants to be part of Syria. Erdogan just wants to grab lands for a greater Ottoman Empire and will, unless forced, never give taken areas back.
FSA forces are starting to realise this and some are starting to defect to SDF.
Pfff. You know nothing about Erdogan. Dude is a fucking traitor to his country. Ottoman Empire? Turkey LOST land under Erdogan regime. He fucked up the economy, he crippled the military.
Do you really fucking think Erdogan is some kind of monster but also a genius and US/EU just can’t deal with him? It’s all a fucking game. Erdogan is a SLAVE to US and EU. Nothing more, nothing less.
bork
The SAA can take back Afrin ,why Turkey is getting ready to take it , the US like its been said many of times they will stab them in the back . They believe if the SAA it gets properly equipped it would give not only Israel and Turkey a run for its money.The Kurds are playing into the US hands and they are so blinded by their own arrogance in believing the US has their best interest at heart .
Too many dirty assumptions. Do You believe them Yourself.
Just giving you a perspective on the US , you don’t like go support your Kurdish Terrorist pals . Then you can continue on believing that the US has no Agenda it is as plain as the nose on your face .
Of course US and we have an agenda. 1) Removing the ISIS main center & 2) Reducing or removing Assad & Baatistas.
Adding those make someone else to take over parts or all. Here my “kurds pals” % local friends could take over most or all oarts of the SDF posstion og today.
They seems very reliable to me compared to other and at least the PYD and other smaller kurdish fraktions has a sekular needed system for the area as well as the private life.
We(I) dont want Jihadists to take over. As a group they might even be worse and a bad replacement. But before they uprised, they were not that many. They are many because they got no choise from Assad.
But unfortunetly its also a facts those radical actually keep Assads down. So the trick , which is not there at all, could be some of them made a moderate alternative . I dont see hopes for that.
The Kurds are far from being democratic or fighters for freedoms , their women will be treated as 3rd class people again . They hold Arabs with contempt meaning there is a huge component of racism with them.
Jihad was banned 94 years ago so the term is ill used and not term to describe what people do for money and greed . The Kurds are Hardcore Sunnis , they even treat Kurds of other faiths with derision .
The minority Kurds make such a small percentage of Syria , when these Foreign Kurds leave , Syrian-Kurds will be left holding the bag for their atrocities . There are no moderate or secular Kurds and never has been in its history and that is according to those who won’t go back.
The Baathists are more socialists then what masquerades as politics in the PKK/PYD which is about being Tyrants and not anything else . Stop deluding yourself with the fact Kurds couldn’t replace soldiers they are nothing but bandits and pirates .
I see thoise signs too, but its also because FSA has no succes. They kind of trust SDF wont have SAA back and can protect themselves by being helping hands calming down Sharia a lot a.s.o.
Also Russia plays the long game. If it can engineer a massive split between Turkey and the US, even in NATO
no chance! turkey is also now important nato memebr. 2 weeks ago alone blocked austria. and other members accepted.
i dont think, that russia has such irrealistic plans. if you were right, then putin is really idiot :DD
today russia sent 160 more soldiers in afrin.
assad is not good leader. he has wrong policy to kurds. a think, ke shold communicate with kurds in afrin. create common, ypg/saa outposts, chekcpoints and pull up syrian flags. on the other hand, allow kurdish language as second language in the towns, where are kurds.
Add a form of political autonomy, democracy, let them keep their militia and they will be close to a compromise
but militia anly mixed wit other locals.
I agree Assad should integrate thé kurds into Syrian culture, they have their place too. But they must distance themselves from us Saudi influence asap
Well, kurds has distanced them from religios Sauds for years and figthed ISIS as sauds has supported hard.
Now Turks take Qatarside, so Kurds by SDF should be with Turks or be with Sauds.
SDF didnt make that choise, so it infame putting kurds into that contxt at all. Dirt.
The only reason why the going is slow to Suknah is that a the area is riddled with snipers and hills to control the region after Suknah there are no places to stop the advance its all open 40kms of unobstructed flatland .ISIS has poured everything into the defense on the way to Suknah and the attack on Dier Ez zoir with very little left for the defense of the town. They control much of the east including to just outside T2 and the border , they are running around about 5-10km beyond their lines .
The thinking that confrontation in the Afrin area is out of the question is naive , there happens to be no US presence at the moment or in the future . The US would have to withdraw if the Turks are responding to terrorists which they are still listed by most as , NATO agreements trumps alliances .
The big problem you overlook is their frontlines are spread to the border towards Bukmal which is their current goal , they are pushing on so many fronts you need a scorecard to keep up .
SDF hasnt tryed to stop SAA for taking Deir El Zor. That little force cant even arrive, because they have to take all villages before that and the supply lines are too long.
We heard the same non sense about FSA and USA blocking SAA from going to Deir El Zor. But FSA and USA was at least 50 km from blocking anything, but ISIS was blocking and still are blocking SAA from advancing to retake the road to Deir El Zor.
So its about illuc´sions and lies of the worst telling that SAA are very good troops, so they can explain the slow advances against very small ISIS troops being much more advanced in all matter exept equioment.
Brains, skills, education can compensate vey mush – and ISIS has bever been 1000`s at Palmyra.
I’ve come to see that some people are a bit overly hostile to the Kurds, because the Turks opposing them are counted as (almost) pro-Russian. But what does that even mean: everything points to some horse trading of Euphrates Shield for Turk Stream. I don’t mind Erdy and Putin playing some realpolitik footsie, but this is punting off someone else’s country just like the US would do, and punting it off to a terror sponsor. Seems the Kremlin could only simulate greatness for a couple months, sigh; but that world is still watching.
Of course, the other phrasing of what you say is that SDF is getting deeper and deeper in bed with FSA scum. I know some people like that from my home town in Holland: they were criminals long before they were muslims. You think those jackals will change their tune when they fall under a different flag? Absorb enough of them, and soon SDF will become something you’ll no longer want to stick up for.
“unknown reasons”, LOL. Has SDF returned that pilot to SyAF? Funny how such stunts cost you friends.
I heard that the pilot was returned (rescued by SAA shortly after he was downed) to the Syrian Army weeks ago, the SDF never even had him. :o
The Family hasn’t heard back yet , that posting was fake . The SAA even offered some of their suicide bombers back to the SDF and Kurds .
Yeah, probably that because I couldn’t find that post again after I came back to look for it. :/
SDF and Kurds has no suicide bombers. You might find some as PKK in Turkey.
Like having a Toyota getting free spareparts from a Volvo. Next time try with something for gas-attacks, if assads has any ….
They do have Suicide Bombers, they are the PKK/PYD and YPG and unfortunately you wear vest you are one . The only ones with it gasare US Zio puppets .
Well, according to my knowledge that fighter attacked SDF for no reason or a dirty one, som why all that fuzz.
Best I heard is he was downed 15min after takeoff before he’d bombed anything at all–pretty much confirmed by the phrasing of the official USAF communique. So in that case this was an ambush, an American stunt for American interests. So many SDF sympathizers speak as if they completely identify with those interests. If that attitude is pervasive then SDF is an anti-Syrian organization–a problem to be solved.
I don’t understand how an alliance or agreement of cooperation can happen between Russia-SAA and Turkey. I still find it much more reassuring for Syria the control of Kurds over Afrin. If Turkey enters Afrin and with it FSA as well, than SAA not only can forget about Idlib but this would also pose a constant and serious threat to Aleppo.
Syria would be much more stable if Kurds and SAA reach an agreement of cooperation and mutual recognition. And by the way Kurds are not traitors nor terrorists. Everybody in Syria is dependent on allies, SAA and Rebels included, for the moment the best support for kurds comes from USA. Pursuing an aim of independence in my view is never – terrorism, it is patriotism and nationalism. I have always supported movements of Independence whenever these are politically mature enough and have a background of humanist values.
In Syria the only sane – humane factions fighting are SAA and SDF. I would like this two faction to build a future Syria. Any form of presence or recognition of FSA Rebels, Turkey, or S. Arabia, or West be it supported – would constantly pose an existential threat to Syria.
kurds are traitors. they cooperate with the nemy of syria. amrica is the father of destroying syria.
bork
you are fork
you don;t get the big picture. the kurds always have been the most dangerous party in this conflict. 1. they enjoy direct support from jews and their whores and even the people living in those countries are glad to support kurds. 2. the international jewish media and their followers created an image that only kurds are the democratic, rational, strong and righteous people in that region. everybody else is just a mass murderer, not civilized or hardcore islamist terrorists.
3. the kurdish issue doesn’t affect only the turks but also syria, iraque and iran. 4. eventhough the us and israel were allies to turkey, they have been helping the kurds for a very long time. 5. kurds final goal is an independent country, which means a world war. 6. the biggest reason us and israel supported the kurds for so long is turkey. israel never ever wants to have a strong arab or islamic nation near her. 7. is and nusra are not the biggest threat in this war. the kurds are. they are the one who could not only create a middle east war but also a full war between the us and russia.
far out.
What Turkey claims is “FSA”….
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=180_1462382507
You know its hot as fuck when the excavator has to have the engine compartment door open to not overheat.
Orange one is à Hitachi, yellow is kobelco, really fast stick on those super fun to run, big ass travel pedals are annoying though
But they are not. You as Turks are all the time, and they not even fire back most of the time. whoch I would.
You are scum and di´o Your best for delaying SDF taking Raqqa.