US Envoy Reiterates Rejection of Turkish Operation in North Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – US top envoy to north and East Syria, Nicholas Granger, reiterated US’s stance in rejecting any new military action by Turkey in the region.
The remarks were made on Tuesday at a meeting with a delegation from the Kurdish National Unity Parties (PYNK) in the city of Hasakah, northeast Syria.
The PYNK operates within the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
On January 16, the Commander in Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, told Al-Monitor that the SDF takes Turkey’s threats seriously. He predicted that a Turkish operation will take place in February and target the city of Kobani.
During the meeting, Granger noted that his country had informed Turkey of the US’ concerns about any military action that would undermine the efforts of the US-led Global Coalition and SDF to fight ISIS.
According to the PYNK’s website, the US representative said his country’s efforts to stabilize the region and its security “will continue at a greater pace.”
The two parties also discussed Syrian-Turkish normalization efforts led by Moscow and expressed their rejection of the process. Granger stressed that the US opposes any normalization of relations with the “Syrian regime.”
Turkey is currently seeking to normalize relations with Syria after it cut ties with Damascus eleven years ago.
Russia is mediating the process. Recently, Iran has attempted to involve itself through its Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, who visited Syria and Turkey over the past two days.