RTThu, 01 Mar 2018 09:37 UTC
© Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
Washington provoked Ankara into launching a military offensive on Syria's Kurdish-controlled Afrin by "boosting" the Kurds with advanced weapons, according to the Russian Security Council."The Kurds are being boosted with advanced weaponry. The deliveries of modern weapons and encouragement of separatist sentiments among the Kurds have in fact provoked Turkey into carrying out the military operation in Syria's northern Afrin region," the Assistant to the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Alexander Venediktov told Ria Novosti.
READ MORE: Turkey deploys special forces to Afrin, Syria in 'preparation for new fight'
Turkey launched the military operation dubbed 'Operation
Olive Branch' targeting Kurdish militias in Syria on January 20. In late February it deployed specialist police, who are expected to join the offensive and to hold the villages Turkish troops have taken from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).
Ankara considers the Kurdish-led militia to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), outlawed in Turkey as a terrorist organization.
The Kurdish militias have enjoyed the support of the US-led coalition in Syria, causing discord between NATO allies Washington and Ankara. Tensions have risen further since the US announced the decision to sponsor the creation of a 30,000-strong security border force in Syria, half of which would be recruited from Kurdish-led forces.
READ MORE: Tillerson in Ankara pledges limited weapon supplies to SDF, says Manbij 'priority' in SyriaIn mid-February, the US secretary of state Rex Tillerson attempted to reassure Ankara that Washington respects its ally's security concerns.
"We have always been clear with Turkey that the weapons provided to the Syrian Democratic Forces would be limited, mission-specific, and provided on the incremental basis to achieve military objectives only," Tillerson said during his visit to the Turkish capital.
Comment: The US
has established as many as 20 military bases in the part of Kurdistan that lies within Syria, the Russian National Security Council has stated according to Russian media.
The establishment of peace in war-torn Syria is impeded by external - in particular, American - interference in the crisis, Assistant to the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Alexander Venediktov told Ria Novosti.
"The return of peace and stability to Syria is hampered by continued external interference in the Syrian crisis. For example, in the territory controlled by the people's self-defense units of Kurdistan, some 20 US military bases have been created," the official said.
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YPG leaders have been enraged by the apparent willingness of Russia - which had scores of military advisors in Afrin - to allow Turkey to use Syrian airspace and send troops into the province.In a statement released on the pro-Kurdish Firat News Agency website, YPG commander Sipan Hemo warned that Russia would "apologise" for abandoning the YPG-controlled enclave to Turkey and its Syrian proxies."For two years, Russian forces have been in Afrin, and they have claimed that they will resolve certain issues working together with Kurds," he said."They constantly said a solution without Kurds is not possible. We had certain arrangements with Russia. But Russia suddenly disregarded these agreements and betrayed us."They have clearly sold us out"
I wonder if they supplied the MANPAD that shot the SU25 down?
Thats right Sott Keep ignoring the fact Russia gave the green light for Turkey to do their dirty work.
Anyway i'm off to talk to the Cassiopaeans on my Ouija board
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