Click to see full-size image. Source: sdf-press.com
The United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, of his “strong opposition” to a new Turkish ground operation in northern Syria during a telephone call on November 30.
In a statement, the Pentagon said that the secretary voiced concern over the escalating situation in Syria and expressed condolences over the November 13 Istanbul bombing.
“He also expressed concern over escalating action in northern Syria and Turkey, including recent airstrikes, some of which directly threatened the safety of U.S. personnel who are working with local partners in Syria to defeat ISIS,” the statement reads.
“Secretary Austin called for de-escalation, and shared the (Defense) Department’s strong opposition to a new Turkish military operation in Syria.”
In response to the Istanbul bombing, Turkey launched a large-scale operation against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, codenamed Claw-Sword, on November 20. Ankara believes that the core faction of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the People’s Protection Units, was involved the bombing that claimed the lives of six people and wounded more than 80 others.
So far, the operation has been limited to air and artillery strikes. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that a new ground offensive against the SDF could soon begin.
A Turkish official told Al Jazeera on November 29 that Ankara completed all military and logistic preparations needed to launch a ground operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria. The unnamed official said that Washington had “shown its understanding” of Ankara’s demands and went on to claim that U.S. troops withdrew from some positions in the region.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched several ground operations against the SDF in northern Syria that have allowed it to control areas along the border.
While the U.S. is against any new Turkish ground operation in northern Syria, it will not likely take any action against its NATO ally.
Russia, on the other side, appears to be willing to do more in order to prevent yet another Turkish invasion of northern Syria. The Russian military grouping in the country has already deployed troops near Tell Rifaat, one of three towns which were recently named by President Erdogan as main targets of any new operation in the region with the other two being Manbij and Kobane.
