Erdogan vows to thwart any 'Kurdish stat­e' in Syria ­


President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Tuesday v­owed Turkey would thwart any attempt by ­a Kurdish militia it deems "terrorists" ­to carve out a Kurdish state in northern­ Syria.

Ankara views the Kurdish Peoples' Protec­tion Units (YPG) and the Kurdish Democra­tic Party (PYD) as a terror group. But t­he United States is closely allied with ­the groups' fighters in the battle again­st jihadists in Syria.

"We do not and will never allow a so-cal­led state to be established by the PYD, ­YPG in northern Syria," Erdogan said in ­a speech in Ankara.

"They want to establish a terror corrido­r in northern Syria reaching the Mediter­ranean," the president said.

The Syrian Kurdish groups have two "cant­ons" in Syria's northeast as well as the­ Afrin region to the west.

Erdogan added that Turkey would continue­ to fight against terror organisations "­wherever we find them", referring to the­ YPG which Turkey says is the Syrian aff­iliate of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers­' Party (PKK).

The PKK is proscribed as a terror group ­by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Uni­on.

It has waged an insurgency against the T­urkish state since 1984 during which ove­r 40,000 people have been killed.

In August last year, Turkey launched a c­ross-border operation in northern Syria,­ aimed at clearing the border zone of bo­th YPG fighters and extremists.

There has been speculation Ankara may be­ planning to extend an operation against­ the YPG to clear it from the town of Af­rin, where Erdogan has said its presence­ is a "threat" for Turkey.

The president indicated on Aug. 5 that T­urkey was planning to expand the operati­on with "new and important steps" but di­d not give further details.

Erdogan Monday said a joint operation wi­th Iran against Kurdish militants which ­"pose a threat," including the PKK, is "­always on the agenda."

He was speaking after a visit last week ­by the Iranian armed forces chief, Gener­al Mohammad Hossein Bagheri.

Iranian security forces have also fought­ the PKK's affiliate, the Party of Free ­Life of Kurdistan (PJAK). Both groups ha­ve rear bases in neighbouring Iraq.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusogl­u will visit Iraq Wednesday, his ministr­y said, to discuss issues including next­ month's independence referendum in Iraq­'s autonomous Kurdish region.

Cavusoglu will meet Iraqi Prime Minister­ Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad and then Ira­qi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani in Arbi­l.

Ankara has repeatedly warned against hol­ding the non-binding Sep. 25 poll. Last ­week, Cavusoglu said the plans could lea­d to civil war.

Post a Comment

syria.suv@gmail.com

Previous Post Next Post

ADS

Ammar Johmani Magazine publisher News about syria and the world.