Erdogan: Sweden, Finland need to ‘act accordingly’ toward Kurdish groups for approval on NATO bids & More News Here

Erdogan: Turkey will ‘cleanse’ Syrian cities of terrorists 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week launched “a new phase” of army operations to create a 19-mile “safe zone” into Syria “to cleanse Tal Rifaat and Manbij of terrorists.”

And he might not cease there, including that “we will do the same to other regions step by step.”

Syrian Kurdish groups aligned with the United States, which Turkey considers terrorists, function in each cities.  

“Though the president has mentioned Ankara’s plans to form a safe zone alongside the Syrian border before, this is the first time he has explicitly included Manbij and Tal Rifaat in Turkey’s new operation and openly stated Ankara’s intention to expand to other regions,” writes Nazlan Ertan. “The Turkish president is putting an old plan back on the table amid what he considers more favorable conditions with the war in Ukraine and Turkey’s veto power over the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO.”

So far, the US-led coalition has seen little troop motion on the Turkish facet that might point out an imminent incursion, two sources briefed on the matter informed Jared Szuba for Al-Monitor’s Security Briefing publication.

There remains to be hypothesis that Turkey could also be holding off till after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visits Turkey on June 8, and sure received’t launch an operation, if it will definitely decides to accomplish that, till after the NATO summit on June 28.

NATO bids by Sweden, Finland linked to modifications on Kurds 

Although the Biden administration could also be in search of to maintain down the temperature in its response to Erdogan’s exhausting line, the Turkish president isn’t letting up on his place. 

To the opposite. Speaking to Justice and Development Party leaders on June 1, Erdogan dug in his opposition to NATO bids by Sweden and Finland till they “act accordingly” with respect to Turkey’s issues.

He stated that on the identical day the Swedish and Finnish delegations have been in Turkey for negotiations, “the Swedish state TV aired an interview with Salih Muslim [co-chairman of the Syrian Democratic Union, PYD]. What sort of sincerity is that? Those, who play with letters and check out to conceal and legitimize the PKK [Kurdistan Workers Party] by altering its identify into PYD, YPG [People’s Protection Units] or different acronyms are fooling themselves, not us.” 

Erdogan considers the PYD and YPG, which make up the majority of the US-aligned Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as indistinguishable from the PKK, which each Turkey and the US have designated as a terrorist group. 

Erdogan added, “We have declared right away and in a clear manner that we are against their NATO membership because of their support to the PKK terrorist organization and its extension organizations. Those, who try to present the most bloodthirsty terrorist organization in the world as a disciple of democracy, are, in our eyes, aligned with the murderers of our babies, women, elder citizens, teachers and security forces, who were killed by the PKK.”

The Turkish president’s solely slight nod to diplomacy got here on the finish of his remarks, when he stated, “We hope these two international locations and people who work vigorously for their membership perceive Turkey’s safety issues and act accordingly. In that case, we as a rustic which have duly fulfilled its obligations inside NATO to this point will do our half.”

Stoltenberg: ‘No other NATO ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkey’ 

The US and NATO plan to maintain their reservations about Turkish army actions in Syria separate from smoothing over variations which might permit Sweden and Finland to be a part of NATO, as Al-Monitor studies right here. 

“These are separate questions,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded when requested in regards to the connection between a possible fighter jet gross sales to Turkey and Ankara’s calls for over Finland and Sweden becoming a member of NATO.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, showing on the similar press convention with Blinken, stated that “concerns that Turkey has raised directly with Finland and Sweden are being addressed by the Finns and the Swedes with the assistance of NATO. We want to make sure that all Allies have their security concerns taken into account, and that, of course, includes Turkey, but I’m confident this process will move forward.”

While the US has stayed again from direct mediation within the matter, Stoltenberg has stepped up. 

“No other NATO ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkey,” Stoltenberg stated. “Turkey is an important ally, not least because of its strategic geographic location bordering Iraq and Syria … and also a Black Sea country close to Russia.” He added, “When they raise concerns, of course we sit down and we look into how we can find a united way forward.” 

Erdogan weighs the implications 

If launching a army operation east of the Euphrates, “Turkey has to take both the United States and Russia into account,” writes Fehim Tastekin. “But in Tel Rifaat and Manbij to the west of the river, the United States might turn a blind eye to Turkish maneuvers.”

Blinken stated on June 1 that the US would oppose any Turkish army escalation in Syria and respect present ceasefire strains and never undermine regional stability, particularly the battle towards Islamic State. 

The subsequent day, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated in a press release that “We hope that Ankara will refrain from actions that could lead to a dangerous deterioration of the already difficult situation in Syria,” however added that “such a move, in the absence of the agreement of the legitimate government of the Syrian Arab Republic, would be a direct violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“For Erdogan, Tel Rifaat is a target promising a number of practical gains. It is a convenient position to keep northern Aleppo under pressure,” writes Tastekin.  “At present, YPG control of the area cuts off the connection between the rebel forces in northern Aleppo and Idlib. By seizing Tel Rifaat, Turkey would be able to block fully the YPG’s access to Afrin, keep Syrian government forces in northern Aleppo under pressure and pave the way for cooperation between rebel groups in the Aleppo countryside and Idlib.”

“The conjuncture has domestic aspects as well,” provides Tastekin. “Under growing pressure over Turkey’s hosting of millions of Syrian refugees, Erdogan is drawing a link between the incursion plan and the goal of repatriating the refugees, while diluting the public’s focus on the country’s deepening economic woes. To drum up popular support, he argues that a military operation would provide a safe space for refugees to return.”

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