Turkish Invasion in Northern Syria Halted

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ANKARA – Under diplomatic pressure from several countries, including Russia and France, Turkey was forced late on Tuesday to halt its military operation to occupy the Kurdish-held city of Manbij in northern Syria, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said, according to reports.

Damascus and the Kurdish YPG, the military wing of the ethnic Kurds, have come to an agreement on Manbij regarding its defence. A no-fly zone was established by the Syrian government military in the country’s north and northeast that starts at midnight, though analysts question whether it can be enforced.

Turkey’s proxy, the Free Syrian Army, were marching for Manbij on the direction of the Turkish government, much to the concern of Kurdish and Syrian officials.

Turkish forces are gathering at the border with Syria and Turk warplanes have been spotted above the Kurdish-held city of Manbij as Turkey prepares to take advantage of the sudden departure of the United States from the region, worrying Kurdish forces fighting so-called Islamic State and alarming the Syrian army.

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Military observers and reporters on the ground in Syria said that Turkish offensive against Manbij is “very imminent” as the sun set on Christmas Day in the Middle East.

Turkey is determined to cross to the east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria as soon as possible, Ankara’s foreign minister was quoted as saying Tuesday, reported Reuters news agency.

Ankara said earlier this month it would launch a new military operation to push the YPG Kurds from northern Syria, but the offensive was put on hold after the United States said it would pull its troops out.

Russia will support the Syrian Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces only in the Al-Arimah village. Russia and Turkey have a complicated relationship, mirroring the tensions Ankara often has with the U.S., European Union and other NATO members.

Reports indicate that Israel will get involved with military action against Syrian government forces, who are supported by Iranian-backed militias operating in Syria. Both armed factions are seen as a threat by the Israeli government.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of United States armed forces from Syria, along with Afghanistan, last week, much to the dismay of international allies and the Washington-backed SDF, who say they “don’t believe this is happening”.

Trump tweeted that Islamic States militants were defeated and that Turkish President Recep Erdogan would “eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria….and he is a man who can do it”.

Washington’s decision to pull out 2,000 of their ground forces from Syria has stunned most allies but was greeted with approval by Turkey, which will now have a freer rein to target Kurdish fighters leading the YPG, or People’s Protection Units.

Erdogan considers the Kurdish forces in Syria to be connected to the PPK, an internationally-recognized terror organization working in southeast Turkey, something the Syrian Kurds, their allies and Washington strongly denies.

The ethnic Kurds, left stateless after the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, have been and continue to be “instrumental” in the fight against IS, backed by global powers including the United States, European countries, Canada and others.


(c)Breaking911 – Eli Ridder

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