Most Syrian political parties reject Turkish presence in Syria— SDC
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – Most Syrian political parties reject the Turkish presence in Syria, Officials in the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) said Thursday.
Thabya al-Nasser, an administrator in the Women’s Office of the SDC, said, “Rejecting the Turkish presence on Syria soil is a common position shared by many Syrian parties.”
The Turkish threats target the whole Syrian territory, so unified visions are necessary to counter any foreign party seeking to penetrate Syria, al-Nasser noted.
She further explained that the Syrian parties should take a unified position, rejecting the potential Turkish military operation against areas in north Syria.
On May 23, Erdogan announced taking steps to complete the so-called remained portions of the “safe zone” plan along Turkey’s southern border saying, “We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30 km deep safe zone we established along our southern border.”
The Turkish “safe zone” is an area of 30-35 km (19-22 miles) deep into Syrian territory that Turkey started establishing in 2019 to house Syrian refugees in an area along its border with Syria, as well as to keep it free from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it regards as terrorists.
On May 25, Turkey’s National Security Council said that Turkey’s “existing and future military operations along its southern borders were necessary for the country’s security.” In the meeting, Erdogan delivered a speech to the MPs of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and said, “Turkish military would continue to rid its neighbor of terrorists” refers to the SDF.
On June 1, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his threats of launching a military operation on northern Syria, and specified his targets in the two Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat, which include many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Many officials of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) issued many statements, rejecting the Turkish threats against north Syria, considering that a direct challenge to the security and stability of the region.
Thabet al-Jawhar, a member of the SDC executive body, said that the main goal of the Turkish threats is to occupy the largest part of Syrian territory.”
“The SDC and many Syrian political parties reject the Turkish presence in Syria,” al-Jawhar added.
The SDC member considered that the solidarity of the Syrians and convergence of views among them is the only way to reach a political solution and end external intervention.
The safe zone that Turkey is talking about will be a safe haven only for terrorists whom Turkey has created and used as mercenaries in Syria and other parts of the world, according to al-Jawhar.
Al-Jawhar called on politicians and political parties in Syria to start dialogue to reach a unified political stance against the Turkish attacks and threats.
On June 19, Ilham Ahmad, the president of the Executive Committee of SDC, said that Turkish threats undermine the national stability for Syrians.
She pointed out that the 30 km safe zone that Turkey keeps talking about contains prisons and camps for the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) militants and their families, and any disruption in these camps and prisons would directly threaten international security.
The AANES was first formed in 2014 in the Kurdish-majority regions of Afrin, Kobani and Jazira in northern Syria following the withdrawal of the government forces. Later, it was expanded to Manbij, Tabqa, Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) defeated ISIS militarily.
The SDC is the political wing of the SDF and the AANES. It was founded in 2015 and includes all the communities of north and east Syria.