Turkey’s military incursion into northern Syria, launched almost a week ago, was dubbed by Ankara as operation “Euphrates Shield”, with a primary aim to push back the Islamic State, as well as preventing Kurdish militia’s, which are backed by the United States and its coalition, from seizing more territory along the Turkish border. Ankara fears advances by Kurdish fighters, as the Islamic State is pushed out, are aimed at establishing a Kurdish enclave along Syria’s northern border, a move which could embolden a three-decade-long Kurdish insurgency on Turkish soil.
The Turkish incursion has left Washington scrambling to get its feuding allies to focus their firepower on the Islamic State instead of each other, after clashes that have threatened to unravel the Obama Administration’s war strategy in Syria. Nevertheless, an apparent pause in fighting between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish militia fighters was welcomed by the United States, even though it is far from clear if any truce would hold between Ankara and the Kurds. ”
The United States welcomes the overnight calm between the Turkish military and other counter ISIL (Islamic State) forces in Syria. United States continues to encourage these moves as a way to prevent further hostilities and loss of life between all counter ISIL forces operating in the area. Our priority here needs to be on fighting ISIL. That’s why we describe it as the counter ISIL coalition, that’s why these forces have signed up to work closely with the United States and other coalition members because they’re concerned about the impact that ISIL and we believe that in making decisions about appropriate military actions, It’s important to be focused on the shared goal of degrading ultimately destroying ISIL,” said Josh Earnest, White House Press Secretary.
A Kurdish military official said a ceasefire between Turkey and Kurdish-backed militia fighters was holding. But Turkish military sources denied there was any such agreement, while a Turkish-backed Syrian rebel commander characterized it only as a “pause” and said that military operations against the Kurds would soon resume.