Turkey has long insisted they view the Kurdish YPG and ISIS as basically the same thing. Overnight incidents around the city of Afrin, however, show that when the two forces are in close proximity, the Turkish military is definitely going after the Kurds.
The Kurdish YPG forces were launching an offensive near Afrin against the ISIS fighters when a flurry of Turkish airstrikes were launched against them, described as the single biggest attack Turkey has launched against Kurds since their invasion back in August. Turkish officials estimated 200 Kurds killed.
Turkey has long objected to US support for the Kurds in Syria, and particularly complained about the Kurds taking formerly ISIS-held areas. Afrin is its own sore spot for Turkey, since it is far west of the rest of Syrian Kurdistan, though it has been a Kurdish area since at least the 19th century.
Since Turkey’s August invasion, they’ve demanded the Kurds withdraw from any area west of the Euphrates River, and have also talked of taking full miliitary control of their entire border region with Syria, which would include a large amount of Kurdish territory. So far, they’ve not attempted ground invasions of any Kurdish-held lands, but these airstrikes are a continuation and escalation of the existing hostility toward the Kurds, and suggest the invasion may be only a matter of time.
The Kurds need to wake up and realize that they’re being set up to get screwed by their supposed American allies. How many times does this have to happen before they learn that this country can not be trusted.
Russia needs to wake up and realize that they’re walking into the same trap with Turkey. As long as Turkey has the border, their jihadists will continue to spill over it. The best solution, maybe the only solution, is a Russo-Kurdish alliance. Sadly, I seem to be the only one who realizes this.
What an absurb opinion ! Turkey must save their own National border. PYD , PKK and ISIS is danger for them. Moreover if you follow Tukrey’s news you can see that : Some terrorist organizations attacked them with live bombs . They are killed so many innocent people… I don’t know how can you think thats !
“If you follow Tukrey’s news” than you follow propaganda and you don’t know jack sh*t about what’s really going on. You also apparently don’t have spell check.
PKK , PYD , ISIS , DHKP-C militants will die ! I am from Turkey , I am a Kurdish . F*ck off , die bi*ches
Wow!! What an enlightening point of view! You’ve really changed my mind! : )
I support you and more then that. If the Syrian Army, Russia, Hezbollah, Kurds and Iran Special Forces were to fight as one unified front, coupled with a no-fly zone to keep all but Syrian and Russian planes out of Syrian skies, that would be the best to defeat the Islamic State and the best to then form a good government for Syria.
Destroy Syria, then what, was always the question. Who did Turkey think would rule the Kurdish areas of Syria?
The question is now being answered: Erdogan intends to annex Kurdish Syria, and as we have recently learned, Kurdish Iraq as well. Mosul is Turkish, it appears. Seems he’s interested in expansion. To what borders? If you look at a map, the old Ottoman lines are a long, long way from where Turkey is now.
Will the Americans continue to supply the bombs?