Turkish preparedness to invade Kurdistan Syria

ARK News: Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met military officials on Thursday to discuss a possible invade east of the Euphrates River in Syria as Ankara ramped up warnings of a cross-border operation.

The meeting came a day after Turkey said it would launch an offensive unless agreement on a planned safe zone in Syria could be reached with the United States, saying it had run “out of patience” with Washington.

Following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a planned U.S. withdrawal from northern Syria, the two NATO allies agreed to create a zone inside Syria and along its northeastern border with Turkey that would be cleared of the YPG militants.

Doctors from Turkey's large cities have been stationed in two southern provinces to prepare for a possible incursion into northern Syria, two security sources told Reuters on Friday, adding leave for doctors in the region had been canceled.

A security source said doctors from some large cities were stationed in the southern provinces of “Şanlıurfa” and Mardin in preparation for a possible incursion.

"President Erdogan clearly spoke of Turkey's concern over PYD/YPG presence in Syria and pointed to a possible military operation if there are no developments in the second half of September," the source said, referring to the Syrian-Kurdish militia that controls most of northern and northwestern Syria.

The YPG has been the main U.S. ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. U.S. support for the fighters has infuriated Turkey, which considers the YPG militants, and strained ties with Washington.

Next week, Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump will discuss plans for the safe zone along 450 km (280 miles) of Syrian border stretching east from the Euphrates River to the Iraqi border.

"The leaves of doctors have been suspended to prepare for a possible cross-border operation. We have been preparing for a long time. Now it is at a phase that the operation can be conducted whenever deemed necessary," a senior security official said.

The operation, which would mark the third Turkish incursion into Syria in as many years, was first signaled by President Tayyip Erdogan earlier this year but later put on hold.
Source: Agencies

451