Turkey-PKK conflict internal, not Syrian issue – AANES official
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – A military official of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) stated on Thursday that the conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is an internal Turkish matter, not a Syrian one.
In response to Turkey’s recent escalation in northeastern Syria, Ismat Sheikh Hassan, co-chair of the Defense Board of the AANES, told North Press that Syria is not involved in the long-standing conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which began in the 1980s.
Sheikh Hassan accused Turkey of using a recent incident in Ankara as a pretext for targeting the region, with attacks impacting infrastructure and civilians, particularly children and the elderly, as seen in the town of Tel Rifaat, north of Aleppo.
He emphasized that Turkey is using these claims to continue its military operations and export its internal crises.
The AANES official called for the creation of an international committee to monitor the border from Derik (al-Malikiyah) to Manbij, asserting that they have launched no attacks against Turkey
Sheikh Hassan indicated that Turkey exporting its internal conflict with the PKK to target civilians, including children and the elderly, and to strike infrastructure facilities.
He stressed that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are prepared to defend the region, affirming that the SDF has the legitimate right to self-defense against any Turkish aggression.