US Criticism of Turkey's Airstrikes on Kurdish Forces in Iraq and Syria

On Tuesday, the US State Department expressed its "deep concern" regarding Turkey's airstrikes on positions of Kurdish fighters in Iraq and Syria, stating that these attacks were not coordinated with the US-led international coalition in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). According to Reuters, Turkey's airstrikes on Tuesday targeted positions of the People's Protection Units (YPG), a Syrian Kurdish militia, in Sinjar in northern Iraq and areas in Syria, resulting in at least 20 deaths. Turkey claims that this group is linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an armed struggle against the Turkish government for over three decades. The report notes that Turkey is a member of the US-led international coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, while YPG fighters, who receive US support, have made advances toward Raqqa, the center of the Islamic State in recent months. Mark Toner, a spokesperson for the US State Department, stated on Tuesday that they have directly conveyed their deep concerns to the Turkish government. The coalition (led by the US) has not confirmed these airstrikes, which unfortunately have resulted in the deaths of our allies in the fight against ISIS. However, the spokesperson emphasized that Washington understands Turkey's concerns regarding the PKK. Toner stated, "We understand the concerns regarding the PKK, but such actions explicitly harm the coalition's efforts to combat ISIS and also damage the forces that are operationally engaged in fighting the Islamic State." Turkey claims that PKK militants have turned northern Iraq and Syria into their sanctuary. The Turkish army announced on Tuesday that the aim of the airstrikes was to prevent the "transfer of militants and weapons" into Turkey. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 18 YPG militants were killed in these airstrikes. Some reports also indicate that five Peshmerga from the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq were mistakenly targeted and killed. According to the Associated Press, Syrian Kurdish forces stated that Turkish warplanes targeted media, radio, and communication centers alongside several military bases in northeastern Syria. The Iraqi government condemned Turkey's airstrikes in the north of the country, stating that Turkey has violated Iraq's "national sovereignty." In response, Turkey claimed that its attacks in northern Iraq were "in accordance with international law" and aimed at "striking terrorists."