RTWed, 24 Jan 2018 11:24 UTC
© Khalil Ashawi / ReutersA Turkish military tank is seen near Mount Barsaya, northeast of Afrin, Syria January 23, 2018
The move follows Erdogan's promise to "strangle" the new Border Security Force (BSF) in Syria. The US-led coalition announced earlier in January that it would help create the 30,000-strong BSF, half of which would be comprised of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance.
Ankara's ire has been driven by the fact that the key forces behind the SDF are the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). These are linked to the Kurdish PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey.
"I have doubts about the humanity of those who support this organization (People's Protection Units, also called YPG) and call Turkey an invader," Erdogan said in a speech to local administrators in Ankara on Wednesday.
Ankara says it's taking all necessary measures to avoid civilian casualties.
"First, we will eradicate terrorists and then make the place livable for 3.5 million Syrians," Erdogan said, as cited by Anadolu Agency.
However, the Kurds countered this statement by claiming that the operation had already claimed innocent lives. According to the Turkish president, "
some 268 people were neutralized in last four days" of the operation.
Russia has expressed concern over the ongoing standoff, urging all parties to show restraint and respect the territorial integrity of Syria, while Damascus has condemned "
Turkish aggression on Afrin."
Comment: U.S. ally Turkey vs. U.S. ally SDF. What can go wrong? According to Turkey's Deputy PM Bekir Bozdag, there is a "
small" possibility that the U.S. and Ankara will come face to face in Manbij. U.S. military planners don't seem to have really thought through the consequences of pissing off their biggest ally in the region.
As for today's Operation Olive Branch updates, the SDF says it has killed
dozens of Turkish troops and their FSA rebel allies in the past 5 days and that Ankara is exaggerating the number of Kurds they say they've killed. (Both claims are probably true: the SDF is likely exaggerating just as much.) Erdogan acknowledged that 8 elite Turkish soldiers were killed in fighting. YPG had posted
photos of the dead soldiers and their gear. Afrin authorities say
35 civilians have been killed so far in the fighting.
Al-Mayadin says that an armored column has
entered Tellet el-Is in Aleppo in order to crush the Kurds in Afrin. Firat news agency says the Kurds repelled an FSA attack, destroying 3 tanks.
Turkey has reportedly detained
150 people for posting comments against the Afrin op on social media.
Some Syrian refugees in Turkey are reportedly
signing up to join Turkey's fight against the Kurds in Afrin. Meanwhile, al-Nusra in Idlib is
berating jihadists for joining the Turks to fight Kurds instead of staying to fight the Syrian Army in Idlib.
In the midst of all this, the YPG apparently thought it a good idea to
kidnap some Syrian soldiers (including Captain of Qamishli Airport Ahmed Suleiman and Lieutenant Wassim Mahal), in order to blackmail the Syrian government to allow them to transfer heavy weaponry from the Kurdish-held eastern territories over to Afrin. (If the Syrian government does that, they would risk the Turks bombing the convoys on Syrian-held territory.) Now, after refusing to allow the Syrians control of the territory (which would have stopped the Turkish invasion before it started), the Kurds are apparently now realizing their mistake, saying that government forces are "
allowed" to operate within Afrin.
"We welcome the Syrian Army to enter the whole Afrin region, as there is an agreement between us and the Syrian government to solve all the issues between us," the YPG official said.
"We took up arms to defend ourselves - the Syrian government was never an enemy to us, we just want to be part of the political solution in Syria and our weapons will be handed over to Syrian government once a political settlement is in place," he explained.
"The YPG were never part of the US coalition and we did not get any support from them. Our weapons and support are all from the Syrian government," he emphasized. The change of opinion has come as the YPG are feeling immense pressure in the northwest canton as they battle the Turkish military and their Syrian proxies, as well as ISIS in eastern Syria.
...
Before the Turkish invasion of Afrin officially began on Saturday, Russia pleaded with Kurdish authorities to allow the Syrian Army and Syrian government officials into the canton to take up some positions, but was refused.
Update: Ankara-Backed FSA Planning to Send 10,000 Fighters to Manbij in Northeastern Syria
We have no shortage in terms of weapons, ammunition or fighters, and we are morally ready as well. A 10,000-strong force is ready for Manbij," Afeisi said in an exclusive interview with Yeni Şafak daily.
Highlighting the significance of a possible operation in Manbij, Afeisi pointed to the US activities in the region.
"We regard Manbij as strategically important as Afrin, so as Syria's National Army ("al-Jaysh al-Watani") we have declared war against the Kurdistan workers' Party (PKK) formations in Manbij. Rather than the PKK, the US is the more pressing problem. In the case that the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the FSA were to enter Manbij, the US, as it did in Afrin, will withdraw its support from the terrorists. If it does not, we will battle US forces deployed in that region as well."
See also:
Turkey launches Manbij offensive in northeast Aleppo - extends Afrin mission to Azaz district (UPDATES)
Seems they have changed their mind
[Link] Oh well they know how to blow "hot and cold" thats for sure.