Turkey will start an operation against Kurdish fighters in northeast Syria in a "few days," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, a move that could further complicate relations with the United States.
"We will start the operation to clear the east of the Euphrates from separatist terrorists in a few days. Our target is never U.S. soldiers," Erdogan said in a speech in Istanbul.
He also said it was clear the purpose of U.S. observation points in Syria is not to protect the country from “terrorists” but to protect Kurdish fighters from Turkey, according to the Anadolu news site.
Ankara and Washington have long been at odds over Syria policy, as the United States has backed the Syrian Democratic Forces, spearheaded by the Kurdish-majority People’s Protections Units (YPG). Turkey regards the YPG as a terrorist organization.
A spokesperson from the SDF did not immediately respond to The Daily Star's request for comment.
The SDF is currently waging an offensive to oust Daesh (ISIS) from its last enclave in Syria in the country’s east. The Kurdish alliance was forced to suspend operations in October after shelling by the Turkish army killed four of its fighters. The assault was restarted last month following “intensive contacts” with the U.S-led coalition fighting Daesh.
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