turkey – The Philadelphia Observer

U.S. troops start pullout from along Turkey’s border in Syria

Juan Ignacio — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:58:35 +0000

October 15, 2019 Edit Edit with WPBakery Page Builder

BEIRUT — American troops began pulling back on Monday from positions in northeastern Syria ahead of an expected incursion by Turkey into the area, the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces said.

The Syrian Kurdish fighters warned that Washington’s abrupt decision to stand aside — announced by the White House late Sunday — will overturn years of achievements in the battle against the Islamic State militant group. In a strongly-worded statement, they accused Washington of failing to abide by its commitments to its key allies.

There was no immediate confirmation from the White House of U.S. troops clearing positions in areas in northern Syria.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, however, also said American troops have started pulling back, and a video posted by a Kurdish news agency showed a convoy of American armored vehicles apparently heading away from the border area of Tal Abyad.

Erdogan spoke hours after the White House said U.S. forces in northeastern Syria will move aside and clear the way for an expected Turkish assault — raising concerns about the fate of Kurdish fighters who fought alongside American forces in the yearslong battle to defeat the Islamic State group.

“Following our conversation last night (with Trump), the withdrawal has started as expressed by the president,” the Turkish leader said.

Erdogan did not elaborate on the planned Turkish incursion but said Turkey was determined to halt what it perceives as threats from the Syrian Kurdish fighters.

The White House, in a statement that was silent on the fate of Kurds, said U.S. troops “will not support or be involved in the operation” and “will no longer be in the immediate area,” in northern Syria.

White House says Turkey set to invade Syria

Juan Ignacio — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 13:55:07 +0000

October 7, 2019 Edit Edit with WPBakery Page Builder

Turkey will soon invade northern Syria, the White House announced late Sunday in a statement that seemed to indicate at least tacit American support.

President Donald Trump talked to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey about the military incursion, the White House said in its statement. The administration, without elaborating on the scope of the attack, referred to the invasion as a “long-planned operation.”

“The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the operation, and United States forces, having defeated the ISIS territorial ‘Caliphate,‘ will no longer be in the immediate area,” the statement said.

Turkey has been a U.S. ally in efforts to battle ISIS in the region — Syria being the location of much of the fighting because of the horrific chaos of its ongoing civil war — but there are complications to the alliance.

Kurdish soldiers had also been working with American forces in Syria, but Turkey regards those forces as its enemy. The Kurdish forces, which have been fighting for an independent homeland for Kurds, could be in serious jeopardy when Turkish troops sweep into the area.

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Erdogan has expressed displeasure with the support the United States has given those Kurdish forces.

The White House used its statement to ding its European allies.

“The United States Government has pressed France, Germany, and other European nations, from which many captured ISIS fighters came, to take them back, but they did not want them and refused. The United States will not hold them for what could be many years and great cost to the United States taxpayer,” it said. “Turkey will now be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the area captured over the past two years.”