SDF leader welcomes international reactions against Turkish operation in UN
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi on Sunday welcomed positions in the UN Security Council Briefing on Syria opposing a possible Turkish ground operation.
International positions of @security_un rejecting Turkish Op are welcome. Proud of our international partnership in stabilizing #NES’s region.
— Mazloum Abdî مظلوم عبدي (@MazloumAbdi) December 4, 2022
Hope the positions applied on the ground to end Turkish army attacks & find just political solution for Syrian crisis & Kurdish issue.
"International positions of the UN Security Council rejecting Turkish operation are welcome," he tweeted.
"(I) hope the positions applied on the ground to end Turkish army attacks and find just political solution for Syrian crisis and Kurdish issue."
The UN Security Council on Nov. 29 held a briefing on the situation in Syria.
During the event, the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria Geir O. Pedersen "warned of the dangers of military escalation in Syria."
"I am here in person today to tell you that escalatory dynamics are taking place, and this is worrying and dangerous,” he added.
Moreover, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed concerns over Turkish military actions "that destabilizes the region, threatens our shared goal to fight ISIS, and endangers civilians and U.S. personnel."
This while, the Russian Permanent Representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, called for the restoration of "Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."
On Nov. 21, Turkey launched airstrikes across Iraq and northern Syria in response to a bombing in Istanbul and also threatened with a new ground offfensive. The strikes killed dozens of civilians and fighters.
The SDF has denied links to the bombing, and in an op-ed in the Washington Post on Saturday, SDF Commander-in-Chief called for an investigation.
"Erdogan has accused our forces of involvement in a deadly bombing in Istanbul. Let me make it clear: We deplore and condemn this act of terror," he wrote.
Moreover, he also called for the resumption of peace talks between the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Turkey.
A peace process between the Turkish government and the PKK collapsed in July 2015 resulting in heavy urban fighting in the Kurdish-majority southeast of Turkey and Turkish cross-border operations in both Syria and Iraq.
General @MazloumAbdi is right. The SDF has been our steadfast ally in defeating ISIS. Turkey does have a right to defend itself, but we cannot turn our backs on the brave Kurdish people who’ve been on the frontlines in Syria & Iraq. They deserve peace. https://t.co/qKxA958Csi
— Rep. Colin Allred (@RepColinAllred) December 4, 2022
US Representative Colin Allred (Democrat-Dallas) in a tweet in a response to the op-ed said that Gen. Mazloum Abdi is right.
"Turkey does have a right to defend itself, but we cannot turn our backs on the brave Kurdish people who’ve been on the frontlines in Syria and Iraq," he tweeted.
Moreover, also House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Chairman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) expressed concerns over a Turkish operation in a statement on Saturday.
"We are deeply concerned that Turkey’s recent attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces endanger critical counter-ISIS efforts."