Turkey threatens operation in northern Syria
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on July 14th that his country could launch a military operation against Tel Abyad and Tel Rifat.
Erdogan also pointed out the areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDG), the main partner of the International Coalition acting against terrorism in Syria and emphasized that they want to make this region called a terror corridor a safe zone.
In his speech at the Vahdettin Mansion where President Erdoğan met with the editors of the newspapers and television channels and some writers, he said, ız We will do some work in Tel Abyad and Tel-Rıfat. Actually, we want to make this area called a terror corridor a safe zone. This is our goal. ”
According to the testimony of reliable sources in the media Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) members of soldiers, armored vehicles, tanks and artillery, Tel Abyad, Rasulayn and Kobani Located opposite was stationed in the region within the borders of Turkey.
Likewise in the news in the media, the Turkish Armed Forces in the Turkey-Syria border in Tel Abyad concrete blocks have been removed, also took part in the knowledge that soon removal of mines from Rasulayn located in Turkish territory.
On the Syrian side, there are observation points of the SDG-bound border guard forces and the US-led International Coalition. However, no mobilization or military activity is observed in the region.
These developments, the Russian S-400 air defense system with the statements made by Turkey and Russia for indicating the start of deliveries in the middle of the expectations for would bring harsh economic sanctions on Turkey by the US administration, US President Donald Trump after voicing stopped Turkey's F-35 sales came.
Call from the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria
North and East Syria Autonomous Erdogan's response to recent statements to the Turkish media, world public opinion and the international community, Turkey's application in Syria, areas of the territory to invade directly and urged to express clear and explicit attitudes about ongoing threats.
The statement issued by the autonomous administration called on the Turkish public to ensure that Ankara avoids actions that would harm the Turkish people. Furthermore, it was asked to put pressure on President Erdoğan in order not to intervene in the affairs of the region any more and not to create problems there.
US diplomacy
The International Coalition delegation, headed by US Ambassador William Rubak, met with the autonomous administration on July 13, 2019 in the town of Ayn Isa in the northern Raqqa countryside.
Co-Chair of the Office of Foreign Relations of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria Abdulkerim Omar, the US ambassador in the meeting, Syria's support for the stability of the north and east of the reaffirmed, said it did not want to break down.
James Jeffrey, the US Special Representative in Syria, secretly visited the region at the end of his European tour and asked some countries to send his forces to the safe zone expected to be established in the northern and eastern regions of Syria.
Red lines of Kurds
Aldar Halil, a member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Society Movement (TEV-DEM), one of the most important political leaders of the North and East Syrian Autonomous Administration , important developments in this regard seems likely.
Independent Arabia from Abdülhekim according to Khalil Suleiman news, the red line of the Kurds of Turkey, Syria at 25 to 30 kilometers deep in the field to obtain the requested insisted that he would not make it impossible.
Aldar Halil continued to express his views on the subject with the following statements;
“The safe zone extends for no more than 5 kilometers at the border, does not include stable areas and is not under the control of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Kurds will accept an area protected by the International Coalition forces, including the Turkish forces. They will mostly be active in the desert areas. ”
Halil said this possibility would be successful if Afrin residents returned safely away from the hegemony of the Turkish army and under the control of local forces.
But Khalil, expressed optimism that Turkey was not thinking about the response on this issue, "Erdogan's acceptance of these conditions is very difficult, which makes it difficult to reach an agreement," he said.