US State Department rejects Turkish incursion into Syria – SDC official
WASHINGTON, Syria (North Press) – The representative of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) in the US, Sinem Muhammad, said Sunday that the “US Department of State informed the SDC office in the country of its rejection of any [Turkish] military operation, whether air or ground, against the areas held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in north and east Syria.”
In a statement to North Press, Muhammad said that the US intends to keep its forces in the in their positions in north and northeast Syria, despite the repeated Turkish bombardment and Turkey’s attempt to impede the work of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
Muhammad added that the US had known about Ankara’s intention to launch heavy airstrikes. Despite the vehement US rejection of the Turkish airstrikes and artillery shelling, Turkey did it anyway, she said.
Since Saturday night, Turkey has launched many airstrikes and artillery shells on dozens of different positions in north and northeast Syria. The attacks killed 11 civilians, including a journalist, and wounded nine others, according to the SDF Media Center.
Muhammad stressed on the US’ and Russia’s categorical rejection of any Turkish incursion that would end up with seizing more Syrian territory, similar to what happened in Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad in 2019.
She continued, “The US Department of State leads intensive diplomatic efforts to stop the Turkish air raids on north and northeast Syria.”
Muhammad denounced the silence of the Arab countries regarding the recent Turkish escalation that targets the region’s residents and its infrastructure, which is only going to exacerbate the suffering of the Syrian people. “The Arab countries have not taken any opposing stance regarding that,” she said.