The Kremlin warned Turkey on Tuesday to “destabilise” northern Syria as Ankara launched several airstrikes against Kurdish fighters, a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the possibility of launching an operation of land in Syrian territory.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “We understand Turkey’s concerns regarding its security … but at the same time we ask all parties to refrain from any initiative that could lead to a serious destabilization of the overall situation.”
This comes as Turkish media have quoted Erdogan as saying that Turkish military operations in northern Syria and Iraq are not limited to an air campaign and that discussions will be held on the participation of ground forces.
Turkish soldier in Syria (archive)
Today Turkey called on its allies, led by the United States, to “stop all support” for the People’s Protection Units, which is the main Kurdish faction in Syria and Ankara considers it a “terrorist” while Washington supports it in the fight against ISIS .
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said: “We assure all our interlocutors, and the United States in particular, The People’s Protection Units are the equivalent of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey and its Western allies classify as terrorists, and we strongly demand that all support for terrorists cease.
Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces in Syria (archive)
For its part, the United States today called for a “de-escalation” in Syria, in response to statements by Erdogan, who on Monday threatened to carry out a ground operation in the north of the country after a series of attacks.Air raids on Kurdish sites in Syria Iraq and rocket attacks on Turkish territory from Syrian territory.
Ankara accuses the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and the People’s Protection Units Standing behind the attack that killed Six people and 81 injured on November 13 in Istanbul, which he denied.
On Sunday, the Turkish Air Force carried out Operation Sword Claw by launching a series of raids against the PKK and people’s protection units in northern Iraq and Syria.
