Cornered in northeastern Syria, the terrorist group PKK/YPG is nearing the end of its illegal existence in the country.
Türkiye pressed on for its elimination while the Syrian National Army (SNA) took back Manbij and Tal Rifaat, the group occupied for years. The new administration, founded by groups that toppled the Assad regime, also announced no tolerance of terrorists. Desperate to survive, the group launched a new advance toward Manbij this week. Anadolu Agency (AA) reported on Thursday that SNA forces were engaged in clashes with terrorists in the vicinity of Manbij.
Terrorists have sporadically carried out attacks since Dec. 20, near the southeastern areas of Manbij, which is home to the strategic Tishrin dam. Media outlets reported mortar attacks by terrorists targeting residential areas, forcing civilians to flee. Earlier this week, a car bomb attack killed two and injured two others in Manbij. Armed with heavy weaponry such as Grad rockets, they have also attempted surprise attacks by emerging from underground tunnels beneath Manbij.
After SNA’s Operation Dawn of Freedom, the group was worried and sought assistance from the United States, its leading partner in the region, citing the “threat” to its existence in the war-torn country. The group’s supporters also launched a campaign of disinformation on social media, claiming they were driving away SNA forces. On Thursday, the Turkish defense ministry sources highlighted this campaign and confirmed that SNA controlled Manbij and Tishrin Dam. Attacks by PKK/YPG come after statements of its leader, Ferhat Abdi Şahin, who recently announced that they were “ready to join” the new army of Syria that was being formed by anti-regime forces that toppled the Assad regime. Both the new administration and Türkiye insist the group lay down arms and call for “non-Syrian” members of the group to leave the country.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated on Wednesday that PKK/YPG had no future in new Syria.
“Separatist murderers will either lay down their arms or will be buried with their arms in the lands of Syria,” the president told a parliamentary group meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in the capital of Ankara. It was the latest stern warning by Turkish authorities to the terrorist group.
The group, which carved out a so-called autonomous region in northeastern Syria amid a security vacuum caused by civil war, was propped up both by the U.S. and the now-defunct Assad regime. The former regime tolerated the separatist entity PKK/YPG established while the U.S. dispatched troops and delivered military aid to the group under the guise of a joint fight against Daesh, another terrorist group. Throughout the civil war, Türkiye advocated the territorial integrity of Syria even under Assad, a stance repeated by Erdoğan on Wednesday.
“Whoever wants to exploit the situation in Syria will have to confront the people of Syria and us. We are determined to crush all terrorist groups, Daesh and PKK in particular, which targets the very existence of Syria,” Erdoğan said.
Russia understands
Türkiye’s concerns about PKK found the response from Russia, which was the main backer of the Assad regime that spared PKK/YPG from attacks it carried out against any non-regime force in the country. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that they understood Türkiye’s legitimate concerns regarding the security on the border, “where there have already been repeated incidents involving terrorist structures that have been rioting there,” he was quoted by TASS news agency. He said Türkiye’s security interests must be ensured “in such a way that Syria preserves its sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity.”
Lavrov said the U.S. “occupied” Syria’s east, where oil reserves and fertile lands existed. “Resources there are used to support separatist groups,” he said, referring to the U.S. partnership with PKK/YPG.