Turkey threatens new push against Kurds
01 November, 2018
Turkey’s president said Tuesday his country has finalized plans for a “comprehensive and effective” operation that would target U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in Syria east of the Euphrates River, a move that could further increase tension in the area where U.S.-led coalition forces are based.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks came days after the Turkish military shelled Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, militia positions and following repeated warnings to expand Ankara’s operations to northeastern Syria.
Turkish forces have already forced the Syrian Kurdish forces from west of the Euphrates in two cross-border operations, in 2016 and 2018. Ankara considers the militia a terror threat and an extension of Kurdish rebels waging an insurgency within Turkey.
“Soon, we will descend on them with more comprehensive and effective” force, said Erdogan, who has long vowed to clear all of northern Syria of the militia. He spoke to ruling party legislators.