SDF’s military council in Manbij condemns Turkish threats against northern Syria
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Manbij Military Council (MMC), a military formation affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), condemned on Saturday Turkish threats against northern Syria and the military escalation against the countryside of Manbij and other areas in Syria’s north.
This came in a statement released by the MMC with the presence of the leaders of the councils affiliated with it including al-Bab Military Council, Kurdish Front, and Army of Revolutionaries, denouncing the continued Turkish threats to the region.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently announced plans to carry out another major military cross-border incursion into northern Syria. Erdogan specified his targets in the two northern Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat.
On July 1, Erdogan said that Ankara’s new military operation in northern Syria could begin at any moment.
“I always say that we can start [the incursion] at any moment at night. We should not worry and rush, especially since we are working in the area,” Erdogan told reporters after returning from the NATO summit in Madrid.
The MMC statement said that due to the Turkish threats on northern Syria, “the efforts to combat terrorism have been diverted to defend the targeted areas, which will pose a great threat to the region as it paves the way for ISIS to revive and destabilize the region’s security and stability.”
The main goal of the forces in Manbij, whether MMC or Syrian government forces, is to defend the Syrian territory against any foreign invasion, and the Syrian government sent military reinforcements to the frontlines, according to the statement.
Turkey wants to launch a military operation in the area under false pretexts, such as accusing the SDF of violating the 2019 ceasefire agreements, but what it really wants is to occupy more Syrian lands, block the path in front of any political solution that may resolve the crisis and prolong the conflict to achieve its interests, MMC added.
Following the Turkish “Peace Spring” military operation in October 2019, in which it occupied the two cities of Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain), Turkey signed two ceasefire agreements, one with Russia and the other with the US.
The agreements stipulate halt of all hostilities there and the withdrawal of the SDF 30 km in depth away from the Turkish border, in addition to conducting Turkish-Russian joint patrols in order to monitor the implementation of the agreements.
“The forces in the city will spare no effort to prevent any attacks,” the statement stressed. “The forces are ready to repel any attacks if they occur.”