US again calls for ‘immediate de-escalation’ in Syria

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan24) On Friday, Nikolas Granger, US senior representative to northeastern Syria, called for an “immediate de-escalation” of the conflict along the Turkish-Syrian border, as Turkish airstrikes and artillery fire into Syria continued.

Granger’s statement came in a press briefing, held via video conference. It was the third such US appeal this week. On Wednesday, both the Pentagon Press Secretary and State Department Spokesperson issued strong, similar statements, following less vigorous US statements earlier in the week.

Read More: US: ’Deeply concerned’ over Turkish threats to northeast Syria; calls for ‘immediate de-escalation’

The strengthened US position followed on a growing concern that Turkey might actually launch a cross-border ground offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), America’s principle partner in the fight against ISIS in Syria.

In addition to reiterating the earlier US call for an “immediate de-escalation,” Granger explained that Brett McGurk, National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, had spoken with the SDF Commander, Mazloum Abdi.

Granger explained that US authorities were in communication with Turkish authorities, urging an “immediate de-escalation,” while he reiterated the continued US commitment to fighting ISIS in partnership with the SDF.

However, the US statements appear to have had only a limited impact on Ankara’s calculations. On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeated his intent to attack into Syria “as soon as possible.”

Moscow’s position may, in fact, be rather different from Washington’s. According to a report in Middle East Eye, Ankara and Moscow are negotiating what it called “a small-scale Turkish military operation” that would “remove Kurdish fighters” from areas west of the Euphrates river “in the coming weeks.”

In addition to the ongoing cross-border attacks, CENTCOM announced late on Friday that a US patrol base in northeast Syria had been attacked with rocket fire. There were no injuries, and CENTCOM did not indicate which party might have been responsible.

However, North Press Agency, a media outlet based in northeast Syria, suggested that pro-Iranian militias may have been responsible.

“Two rockets targeted coalition forces at the US patrol base in al-Shaddadi, Syria, today at approximately 10:30 PM local time,” CENTCOM said.

Al-Shaddadi lies some 60 kilometers south of Hasakah.

“The attack resulted in no injuries or damage to the base,” CENTCOM’s announcement continued, as Col. Joe Buccino, CENTCOM spokesman warned, “Attacks of this kind place coalition forces and the civilian populace at risk and undermine the hard-earned stability and security of Syria and the region.”