EU Chief 'extremely worried' about Turkish attack on Afrin

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The European Union’s Foreign Affairs Chief on Monday expressed her concern about the Turkish military operation in the Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) city of Afrin.

During a meeting with European foreign ministers in Brussels, Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, said she was “extremely worried” about the ongoing Turkish attacks against Syrian Kurds in Afrin.

Mogherini also noted that the violence might undermine the peace talks on Syria in Geneva, and severely affect the humanitarian situation on the ground.

She stressed that it was “essential to ensure the security of civilians and their access to humanitarian assistance,” adding that Turkey’s military activity should be “focused at anti-Islamic State (IS) in terms of strategy.”

Turkish warplanes began striking the Kurdish city of Afrin on Saturday as ground troops entered the region the following day.

The campaign dubbed “Operation Olive Branch” is meant to clear Syria’s Kurdish-held northwest district of People’s Protection Units (YPG) fighters who Turkey claims are an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Ankara has labeled the US-backed Kurdish forces a “terrorist organization” and has been infuriated by Washington’s support for the YPG.

The US, which is backing the YPG in the ongoing battle against IS in Syria, on Sunday said it was concerned regarding the situation.

France also called for restraint and an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to hold talks on the situation in Syria.

Responding to the offensive, thousands of people rallied against the attacks in the border town of Amuda in northwest Syria while Turkish police used pepper spray against pro-Kurdish protesters in Istanbul and Ankara.