The PKK terrorist organization and its Syrian wing still pose a threat to Turkey and Syrians living close to the border despite pledges by both the United States and Russia to withdraw the terrorists 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Turkey’s southern border.
Turkey made separate agreements with the U.S. and Russia on the withdrawal of YPG/PKK elements as the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) were carrying out Operation Peace Spring, which began on Oct. 9, 2019, in northern Syria.
After pledging the withdrawal of the YPG/PKK terrorist group 30 kilometers to the south of the Turkish border in line with the agreements, the U.S. and Russia have failed to keep their promises for 2 1/2 years.
During a visit to Turkey by then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence eight days into Operation Peace Spring, the U.S. side pledged that the terrorist group would withdraw from the border, but Washington did not fulfill this commitment.
Russia also committed to the removal of the terrorist group from Tal Rifat and Manbij under an agreement reached with Turkey during Operation Peace Spring.
Moreover, despite Moscow's commitment to ensure the terrorists withdrew from the M4 highway in northwestern Syria to areas outside of Operation Peace Spring, Russia did nothing to fulfill its pledge.
YPG/PKK terrorists still threaten the security of the safe regions with their attacks in northern Syria.
The YPG/PKK mostly carries out terrorist attacks in Manbij, Ain al-Arab and the Tal Rifat district of Aleppo. The terrorist group even uses these regions as bases for its attacks.
The YPG/PKK, which occupied approximately one-third of Syria's territory with support from the U.S., often targets Azaz, Marea, al-Bab, Jarablus, Afrin, Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ain in northern Syria with heavy weapons.
The terrorists often target Turkish forces who provide security in the Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch and Peace Spring areas, and try to infiltrate the positions of Syrian opposition fighters from regions that the terrorist group was supposed to withdraw from under the agreements with the U.S. and Russia.
The United States on Tuesday raised concern over Turkey’s plans to launch new military operations along the country's southern border. "We are deeply concerned about reports and discussions of potential increased military activity in northern Syria," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.
"We recognize Turkey's legitimate security concerns on Turkey's southern border, but any new offensive would further undermine regional stability and put at risk U.S. forces and the coalition’s campaign against ISIS," he said, referring to Daesh.
The U.S. primarily partnered with the YPG in northeastern Syria in its fight against the Daesh terrorist group. On the other hand, Turkey strongly opposed the YPG's presence in northern Syria. Ankara has long objected to the U.S.' support for the YPG, a group that poses a threat to Turkey and that terrorizes local people, destroying their homes and forcing them to flee.
Under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the U.S. has provided military training and given truckloads of military support to the YPG, despite its NATO ally's security concerns. Underlining that one cannot support one terrorist group to defeat another, Turkey conducted its own counterterrorism operations, over the course of which it has managed to remove a significant number of terrorists from the region.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğn on Monday said Ankara would soon launch new military operations along its southern borders to create safe zones to combat terrorist threats from these regions.
Erdoğan said that the operation would be launched as soon as military, intelligence and security forces have completed their preparations.
Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents – namely, Euphrates Shield in 2016, Olive Branch in 2018 and Peace Spring in 2019.
The signaling of a new operation comes amid increasingly hostile sentiment toward refugees in the country, fuelled by some parties and political figures. Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and other politicians had announced they would send back Syrian refugees if they win next year’s presidential and parliamentary elections. However, the debate on migrants living in Turkey is mainly fuelled by the small far-right Victory Party (ZP). Erdoğan has recently announced that Ankara is planning to build another 200,000 homes for Syrians in safe zones close to the border.
Currently, Turkey hosts nearly 3.8 million Syrian migrants, more than any other country in the world. The country also leads humanitarian aid efforts for Syrians in Turkey and opposition-controlled areas of northern Syria.
Erdoğan said Tuesday that scores of Syrians have returned to the northern regions of their homeland that were cleared of terrorists by Turkish forces.
Erdoğan and members of the High Advisory Board held a three-hour meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara where they discussed Turkey’s migration management and matters concerning foreign nationals in Turkey, according to a statement by Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun.
The president said the Turkish state has never turned its back on those in need during times of crisis and the belief, culture and values of the Turkish people would never favor any xenophobic attitude toward foreigners.
He stressed that more than half a million Syrians have returned to northern Syrian territories that were made stable and safe following Turkish counterterrorism efforts in the region.
Erdoğan also noted that more Syrians would return to the region after new settlement areas are built with the help of international funding.
