Fresh off of discussions between US and Turkish officials about a joint operation in the ISIS capital of Raqqa, and Turkish statements that Raqqa is the next destination for their invasion force in northern Syria, Kurdish YPG officials are openly talking about fighting against Turkey if they do so.
Turkey’s invasion of Syria, which began in August, came with the intention of stopping the Kurds from taking any more land away from ISIS, and the two sides have clashed intermittently since then, usually with Turkish airstrikes hitting Kurdish forces.
Now, Kurdish forces are saying they remain committed to their offensive against Raqqa, and that Turkey’s forces “will not be allowed near” Raqqa, saying that “there will be clashes,” if Turkish troops attempt to follow through on the promised advances.
At the same time, Kurdish officials expressed confidence that the US military aid would continue to flow to them, even if it is used in fighting against NATO member Turkey. This confidence may be unwarranted, as the US is considering sending its own ground troops to Syria, and might decide they no longer need the Kurds.
