Dutch, Danish Defense Ministers express concerns over Turkish operation in Afrin

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Netherlands and Denmark, two NATO allies, expressed their concerns over the ongoing Turkish military operation in the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Afrin.

“I am certainly concerned about Afrin situation. Yesterday, I talked to my Turkish colleagues in Rome about that because what is happening in Afrin can also mean something for what we’re doing with Peshmerga forces in Erbil. It can interfere our operation over there,” Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld told Kurdistan 24 on Thursday in Brussels.

On Jan. 20, Turkey began an air and ground offensive in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), targeting the US-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and their all-female brigade, the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), in the Afrin region.

So far, more than one hundred civilians have been killed and over a thousand more wounded, according to Afrin Hospital.

Turkey brands the YPG/YPJ and its political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU, and the US.

Danish Defense Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen revealed they had shared their concerns with the Turkish government about the offensive in Afrin.

“Yes we are concerned about that [Afrin operation], and we have expressed our concerns with the Turkish Minister,” Frederiksen told Kurdistan 24 on Thursday.

“We do not have any soldiers in that region, but it is a concern for us that you have NATO allies on both sides. We risk NATO allies fighting each other. That is an intolerable situation,” he added.

IRAQ AND THE KURDISTAN REGION

The Netherlands’ Minister noted that currently, Dutch troops are providing military training to both Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces. Dutch F-16 jets are also operating in the country, especially on the border with Syria, to provide air support to local troops fighting the Islamic State (IS).

Bijleveld explained they intended to stay in Iraq in 2018.

She plans to visit troops in Erbil and Baghdad but noted the date had yet to be set.

Along with Dutch military advisers, Danish troops are also providing training to the Iraqi army and police forces in Ain al-Assad air base located in Anbar Province.

Denmark, as a member of the coalition to combat IS, also provides supplementary military support to Iraqi troops in the war against the jihadist group.

Editing by Nadia Riva

(Additional reporting by Barzan Hassan)