Illustrative image, Ferhat Abdi Sahin during a press conference. Source: the Hawar News Agency.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will set the Syrian-Turkish border aflame if Turkey launch a new invasion into northern Syria, the leader of the Kurdish-led group, Ferhat Abdi Şahin, warned during a video press conference on November 26.
The leader, who is known by his nom de guerre Mazloum Abdi, said that Turkey is preparing to attack three areas in northern Syria, Kobane, Manbij and Tell Rifaat.
On November 20 Turkey launched a large-scale operation against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, codenamed Claw-Sword, in response to the recent bombing in Istanbul. So far, the operation has been limited to air and artillery strikes. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already warned that the operation could soon morph into a ground offensive on the SDF in northern Syria.
Ankara believes that the core faction of the SDF, the People’s Protection Units, was involved in November 13 Istanbul bombing, which claimed the lives of six people and wounded more than 80 others. Abdi has, however, denied any involvement and called for an international investigation into the terrorist attack.
“If Turkey starts the war, the entire Syrian-Turkish border will be set aflame… this battle will be different from its predecessors,” Abdi told reporters from around the world.
Turkey launched three invasions into northern Syria in 2016, 2018 and 2019, all of which deepened the country’s humanitarian crisis and failed to address security threats to Ankara.
Abdi said that both Russia and the United States, the main backer of the SDF, are against any new invasion of Syria, adding that the “international stand must be stronger because Turkey is determined to attack.”
“The US administration officially informed me, through Brett McGurk, of its rejection of the Turkish operation. Washington is communicating with Ankara to stop these attacks,” the leader explained.
Russia has warned the SDF of a possible Turkish invasion into northern Syria. Senior officers in the Russian military grouping in Syria reportedly asked the group to hand over its territory along the border line with Turkey to the 5th Corps of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to prevent a new invasion. However, the group refused.
While the SDF is not apparently ready yet to hand over its territory to Damascus, Turkey’s threats have made it more open to coordination with the SAA.
Abdi said during his press conference that the SAA “should protect” northern Syria, stressing that the SDF is looking for better cooperation with the army against Turkey.
The Turkish military and its proxies in northern Syria are currently making preparations for a possible ground offensive against the SDF. The group itself has been also deploying reinforcements along the border with Turkey.
The objection of Russia and the U.S. will make it harder for Turkey to launch a new invasion into northern Syria. However, the position of the two international powers could soften if the SDF continue to reject making any political or military concessions.
