Turkey's Defense Minister announced that artillery attacks against the People's Protection Units (YPG) in the city of Afrin, Syria, have commenced. According to AFP, Nurettin Canikli stated that the aim of these attacks is to drive the YPG out of Afrin city and region. Turkey considers the YPG to be an offshoot of the PKK and has labeled it a 'terrorist' group. However, the United States has established close ties with the YPG in its fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. Following the U.S. announcement that it would train 30,000 forces in Kurdish areas of Syria, Turkey warned of a comprehensive operation against the YPG. On Friday, January 19, Nurettin Canikli told Turkey's news channel, 'The Afrin operation will take place... all terrorist positions in northern Syria will be eliminated.' Turkey's state news agency Anadolu reported that the Turkish army targeted several locations in Afrin to prevent the formation of a 'terror corridor.' According to Anadolu, the army's artillery in the border province of Hatay has shelled YPG positions in Afrin at least 10 times. Turkish media reported that 20 military buses have transported Syrian rebels supported by Turkey into Syrian territory. The Turkish Defense Minister stated that with the artillery attacks, the Afrin operation has effectively begun. When asked when Turkish ground forces would enter Syria, he replied, 'Maybe tomorrow or tonight. But this operation will take place.' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan referred to the formation of a 30,000-strong U.S.-backed force in Syria as a 'terror army.' The U.S. Department of Defense stated that it does not intend to form an 'army' and that these forces are meant to combat ISIS and maintain regional stability. However, Turkey does not find the Pentagon's response convincing. Due to the presence of Russian forces in Syria, Turkey needs to gain Moscow's approval for a comprehensive operation against the YPG. In another development, Hulusi Akar, the commander of the Turkish army, and Hakan Fidan, the head of Turkey's intelligence agency, made an unannounced visit to Moscow on Thursday.
Turkey's Artillery Attacks on the People's Protection Units in Syria Begin
Turkey has begun artillery attacks against the YPG in Afrin, Syria, aiming to eliminate what it calls terrorist positions. The operation follows U.S. support for the YPG, which complicates Turkey's military strategy. This escalation reflects ongoing tensions between Turkey, the U.S., and Russia in the region.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Turkey has initiated artillery attacks against the YPG in Afrin, Syria, aiming to eliminate what it considers terrorist positions. This military operation follows U.S. support for the YPG, which complicates Turkey's strategy in the region.
- Turkey views the YPG as an offshoot of the PKK, a designated terrorist organization.
- The U.S. plans to train 30,000 forces in Kurdish areas of Syria, which Turkey opposes.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The YPG has been a critical ally for the U.S. in the fight against ISIS, while Turkey perceives it as a terrorist threat linked to the PKK. This situation creates a challenging dynamic for U.S.-Turkey relations.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%