Turkey’s anti-terror fight in N Syria will continue “differently”: Erdoğan

ISTANBUL

Turkey will pursue a much more different struggle against the presence of the YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syria due to the escalation of terrorist attacks in the region, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, repeating his criticisms against the United States for supporting the YPG/PKK.

“The terrorists of the PKK, YPG and PYD are running wild in entire Syria, not only in the northern part. The leading supporters of them are the international coalition [which was formed against ISIL] and the U.S. These groups are terrorizing with all kinds of weapons, ammunition and equipment they are given by them,” Erdoğan told reporters in Istanbul on Oct. 15.

Turkey intensified its criticism against the U.S. following the killings of its two security personnel by the YPG in the past days and vowed to take all the necessary measures to eliminate these groups in northern Syria. The YPG is being supported by the U.S. as its main tactical partner in defeating the ISIL in the war-torn country. Turkey says the YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, and therefore, is a terrorist group.

Turkey has remained patient for a long time against the attacks carried out by the terror groups, Erdoğan said, adding, “Our two policemen were recently martyred. Civilians are also being targeted from time to time. Our struggle against them will continue in a much more different way.”

Turkey will fight against the terror organizations and the Syrian regime forces, the president said, adding, “We are determined to do so.”

Turkey has conducted four cross-border operations, with the latest one targeting the presence of the YPG terrorist on the Turkish border in northern Syria. The Operation Peace Spring has paved the way for Turkey to push the YPG away from the Turkish border and create a buffer zone in the region under the control of the Turkish troops.

Turkey had agreed on two separate memoranda of understanding with the U.S. and Russia, which have troops in the same geography. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has recently slammed both Washington and Moscow for not fulfilling the requirements of the deals with Turkey.