US says any Turkish operation in NE Syria would put at risk US forces
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – US State Department criticized on Tuesday Turkey’s plans to conduct a military operation in northern Syria after the Turkish president recent statements.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that “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.”
We expect Turkey to live up to the October 2019 Joint Statement, including to halt offensive operations in northeast Syria,” State Department Spokesman Ned Price said during a briefing.
Price said any new offensive would undermine regional stability and “put at risk US forces in the Coalition’s campaign against ISIS.”
Price said the US condemned any escalation in the area and said all sides needed to respect ceasefire zones.
Siham Quryo, co-chair of the General Council in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) said on Tuesday that she did not expect that US and Russia will allow Turkey to attack new areas in northeast Syria.
Turkey cannot launch a new military operation if it is not given the green light from Russia or the Global Coalition. So it uses the drones in targeting the officials of the AANES,” Quryo added.