Turkey has deployed additional tanks on its border with Syria’s Afrin region, the westernmost of three regions belonging to the autonomous Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, which are under the pre-dominant control of the Kurdish militias operating in the area, including the most powerful YPG that is viewed by Turkey as a terrorist organization. After the US-led coalition said it was working with the mainly Kurdish YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces to set up a new 30,000 strong border force; President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to strangle what he termed as a “terror army,” declaring the anticipated invasion of Afrin province – alongside Turkish backed rebels – imminent. He said, “Of course they (Syrian rebels) will (be involved in the operation against Afrin) together. This struggle is being conducted for them, not for us. We are helping our brothers to claim their own territory because if we don’t help them today, tomorrow a corridor of threat will be formed there against us,” the Turkish leader asserted.
President Erdogan also took to the opportunity to once again criticize the United States, saying, “The United States comes from tens of thousands of kilometers away to form an army for themselves here. And they call this border security. What border security? What border security? Look, the Syrian government is now saying this will pose a threat for them and they do not welcome this establishment either,” Erdogan said.
The reason the American plan has infuriated Turkey, is because it considers the YPG, which is the most powerful Kurdish militia in the US-backed SDF alliance, an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK, which has fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984. It is important to note that the PKK is also considered a terrorist group by both the European Union and the United States.