Turkish threat to strike US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria

Members of Turkish Police Special Forces secure the area near the Interior Ministry following a bomb attack in Ankara, on Oct. 1, 2023, leaving two police officers injured. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 04 October 2023
Follow

Turkish threat to strike US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria

  • Infrastructure and facilities ‘are legitimate targets’
  • Warning follows PKK bombing in Ankara

Turkiye warned on Wednesday that Kurdish infrastructure in Syria was a legitimate target for airstrikes after concluding that two militants who carried out a suicide bomb attack in Ankara came from Syria.

The warning is a veiled threat to the US, which supports the Syrian Democratic Forces — the de facto Kurdish army in northeastern Syria.
Its main component is the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, the YPG, which Turkiye views as an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK.
Two PKK members carried out last Sunday’s attack, the first bombing in the Turkish capital since 2016.
Police shot one dead and the other died when his device detonated outside the Interior Ministry, injuring two security officers.
“As a result of the work of our security forces, it has become clear that the two terrorists came from Syria and were trained there,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday.
“From now on, all infrastructure, large facilities and energy facilities belonging to the YPG and the PKK in Iraq and Syria are legitimate targets for our security forces. I recommend that third parties stay away from these facilities.”
Turkiye conducted air raids against PKK bases in the northern mountains of Iraq hours after Sunday’s attack, and the Defense Ministry published images on Wednesday showing PKK targets being hit in Iraq the night before.
Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi is expected in Ankara on Thursday for talks with counterpart Yasar Guler amid increased tensions over the Turkish airstrikes.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already launched a series of armed incursions into northern Syria and repeatedly threatened to expand attacks against the YPG.
Sunday’s bombing coincided with the opening of a session of the Turkish parliament in which members will be asked to ratify Sweden’s membership of NATO.
Turkiye’s ratification has been held up by anger over the refusal by the Swedish police to ban marches by the PKK and their supporters in Stockholm.
Some analysts believe the PKK may be trying to block Turkiye’s ratification because it would herald an improvement in Ankara’s ties with Washington.
Turkiye has been trying to persuade the US to drop its support for the Syrian Democratic Forces, a policy shift that Ankara may expect in return for its ratification of Sweden’s membership, analysts say.


Turkiye evaluating potential measures in event of Iran-US conflict, source says

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

Turkiye evaluating potential measures in event of Iran-US conflict, source says

  • Iran and the United States resumed negotiations earlier this month as Washington builds up military capability in the Middle East
ANKARA: Turkiye is ‌evaluating all aspects of potential measures that may be taken in the event of a conflict between ​its neighbor Iran and the United States, a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters on Wednesday. Iran and the United States resumed negotiations earlier this month as Washington builds up military capability in the Middle East. Iran has threatened to strike ‌US bases in ‌the region if it ​is ‌attacked, ⁠but Tehran’s ​top ⁠diplomat said on Tuesday that a deal with the US was “within reach” if diplomacy is prioritized. NATO member Turkiye, which shares a border with Iran to its east, has said it opposes any military intervention on ⁠Iran and does not want destabilization ‌in the region. ‌Ankara has been in contact with ​both sides to ‌de-escalate tensions and called for a resolution ‌of issues through diplomacy.
“Naturally, all aspects of the measures that could be taken in the event of a negative development are being evaluated,” ‌the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“All scenarios are being ⁠considered; ⁠and steps that can be taken to ensure the safety of our citizens are being worked on,” the person said, but added any steps that would “violate Iran’s sovereignty” were “out of the question.”
The source did not provide details on what measures Turkiye was evaluating.
Earlier, the Turkish presidency’s office for countering disinformation denied media reports that Turkiye ​was planning to enter ​Iranian territory to stop a potential influx of refugees.