KNC calls on US and Russia to stop Turkish threats

The KNC called on Russia and the United States to pressure Turkey to stop Turkish threats.

Kurdistan 24 2022/07/14 19:34

Logo of the Kurdish National Council (KNC) (Photo: Kurdistan 24).

Syria KNC SDF Turkey-SDF tensions northeast Syria

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdish National Council (KNC) on Thursday called the ceasefire guarantors Russia and US to work to stop Turkish threats to attack northeast Syria.

Turkey has continuously threatened since May to launch a new operation against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

In a statement, the KNC, which is a member of the Syrian opposition backed by Turkey, called on Russia and the United States to implement the decisions and agreements regarding Syria.

The KNC called on the ceasefire guarantors to pressure Turkey to not carry out an operation since it would create more problems and increase the suffering of Syrians.

After Turkey conducted a military operation into northeastern Syria in October 2019, Russia and the US reached separate ceasefire deals with Turkey to stop Turkish expansion.

However, at the same time the KNC blamed the Democratic Union Party (PYD) for holding pro-Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) protests and provoking Turkey.

"At the same time as Turkey's threats to occupy new districts, the PYD holds demonstrations almost every day and raises pictures of the PKK, and shouts slogans of betrayal against the Kurdish party and forces."

It also said the PYD continued to target anyone who is against its ideology.

Moreover, the KNC said the PYD-led administration has not been able to find necessary solutions for issues like the lack of water, electricity, high fuel prices, and taxes.

In addition, the KNC blamed the PYD for continued human right violations such as the recruitment of underage children.

On Wednesday, senior US officials also expressed their continued opposition

At an event organised by the Middle East Institute on Wednesday, Dana Stroul, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense for the Middle East, said that the US strongly opposes a new Turkish operation in northern Syria, "because ISIS is going to take advantage of such campaign."

Moreover, the US Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Joshua Geltzer at the same event said the US opposes any Turkish operation, pointing out that in the past such "operations pull away some of our key partners in the counter-ISIS effort."