Contents tagged with Kurds
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Ankara: Turkey will continue military operation in Syria even if it goes against US interests
In an interview published the website of Evropeyskaya Pravda, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu claims that Ankara will continue military operations in Syria, even if this goes against the interests of the United States.
“When a member of NATO arms terrorists who attack another member of NATO, this grossly violates the fundamental principles of the Alliance. This type of policy is not normal, and it must be rectified,” said Cavusoglu with regard to the United States’ decision to arm …
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US promises Turkey to stop supplying weapons to Kurds in Syria
The Press Secretary of the President of Turkey, Ibrahim Kalin, held a telephone conversation with US National Security Adviser, Herbert McMaster, during which the latter confirmed that Washington stopped supplying arms to the Kurds in Syria, as reported by Anadolu news agency.
The agency was told by the administration of the Turkish president, that on the evening of January 27th, McMaster confirmed that the United States stopped supplying weapons to the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and …
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Turkey to expand military operation on Syrian border
Turkey intends to expand its military operation against the Kurdish militarized groups known as the People’s Protection Units (YPG) along Turkey’s entire border with Syria, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday January 26, DW reports.
“Operation Olive Branch will continue, until all the set objectives have been achieved,” the president said, emphasizing that the Turkish forces would “liberate” the city of Manbij from “terrorists”, as well as all the other territory along the …
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Pentagon: US may stop supporting Kurds in Syria
Pentagon spokesperson Adrian Rankine-Galloway told Turkish news agency Anadolu in an interview that the US will stop supporting the Syrian Kurds’ People’s Protection Units (YPG) if they attempt a military operation in the Afrin region, instead of fighting the Islamic State.
“We are only training and supporting forces who are fighting ISIS. The Pentagon does not give orders to the forces that are active on the ground. If there is an attempt at a military operation not directed against ISIS, …
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Syrian Kurds say they forced Turks to retreat from Afrin
During the course of persistent fighting, Syrian Kurds forced Turkish troops and pro-Turkish militant groups to retreat from their territory, said spokesman for Syrian Kurdistan in Moscow, Rodi Osman, RIA Novosti reports.
“Turkish forces and groups associated with them attempted to cross over to the territory of the Syrian city of Afrin, accompanied by aircraft and missile strikes. However, the Syrian Democratic Forces struck at five positions [Turkish soldiers and Syrian armed opposition]. In …
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Turkish Prime Minister: Russia did not object to our operation in Syria
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim confirmed the beginning of the ground operation in Syria. Ankara said the goal is the creation of a security zone on the Turkish-Syrian border.
The politician promised that “anyone who provides military support to Kurdish forces in Afrin, including the United States, will be targeted by the Turkish armed forces.”
He also said that the operation will include four stages, as reported by NTV television channel. First, a 30-kilometer “safe zone” will be …
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Kurds: Russia must share equal responsibility for Turkish military operation in Afrin
The Kurdish militia, People’s Protection Units (YPG), that are in control of Afrin, has stated that Turkish military operations in the region were only possible under Russia’s endorsement, as reported by Rudaw TV.
“We know that the Turkish military would not dare attack without approval from the international community, and primarily from Russia, which has pulled its troops from Afrin just before the attack. We, therefore, consider Russia equally responsible for the attack,” a statement from …
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Turkey deploys electronic warfare system in Syria
A Turkish Koral electronic warfare system (EWS) was spotted in the border regions close to the city of Afrin in the north of the Aleppo province. The photograph showing the EWS was published by Telegram channel 338 on Friday, January 19.
The EWS will most likely be activated during the Turkish military’s offensive on the YPG, an armed group of Syrian Kurds, affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which is banned in Turkey.
Development of the Koral EWS was begun by the Turkish company …
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Media: Russian troops pulling out from Syria's Afrin as Turkish military operation begins
Russian military have started pulling their divisions out from Syrian enclave Afrin where Turkey plans to conduct a military operation against Kurds, reported Anadolu news agency.
“Dozens of Russian military are moving to Nubl and Zahra, the cities controlled by Bashar Assad. Part of the Russian contingent still remains in Afrin,” the agency said.
On Friday, January 19, during a broadcast of the Ahaber TV-channel, Minister of Defense of Turkey Nurettin Canikli acknowledged that a military …
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Syria declares its readiness to shoot down Turkish military aircraft
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told reporters that the Syrian Air Defense Forces have been restored, and are capable of shooting down any Turkish aircraft in the airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic.
"We warn that Syria’s air force has completely resumed its former capability, and is ready to destroy Turkish air targets in the skies above the Syrian Arab Republic; this means that, in case of aggression against Syria, [it would be] no picnic," said Mekdad.
On Wednesday, Turkish …