Erdogan Says Turkey Plans New Syrian Offensive, Received’t Search U.S. Permission

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned his nation remains to be dedicated to driving Syrian Kurdish militias out of northern Syria and that Ankara is not going to look forward to permission from the US earlier than launching any new offensive.

“Like I at all times say, we’ll come down on them [Kurdish militias] all of the sudden one night time. And we should,” Erdogan mentioned on his airplane following a go to to Azerbaijan, in response to a report on Might 29 in The Hurriyet newspaper.

He added that “one can not struggle terrorism whereas ready for the permission of whoever.”

“What’s going to we do if the US doesn’t do its half within the struggle towards terrorism? We are going to get by on our personal,” he mentioned.

Erdogan mentioned, with out offering a timeframe, that Turkey plans to launch a cross-border operation towards the Syrian Kurdish Individuals’s Safety Models (YPG) — a militia it considers a terrorist group linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Staff’ Social gathering, which has led an insurgency inside Turkey for the reason that Eighties.

Washington, nevertheless, has backed the YPG in its struggle towards the Islamic State extremist group inside Syria, a transfer vehemently opposed by Ankara.

The U.S. State Division has expressed issues about Turkey’s plans, saying a brand new offensive may undermine regional stability and put U.S. forces in danger.

In 2019, Turkey’s incursion into northeast Syria towards the YPG sparked worldwide condemnation, prompting Finland, Sweden, and others to limit arms gross sales to Turkey.

Ankara now could be retaliating by blocking the 2 Nordic international locations’ bids to hitch NATO. Membership within the Western alliance have to be unanimously permitted by present members.

Primarily based on reporting by AP and AFP