Truce brings quiet, but not stability, to Turkey-Syria border
Despite the current truce, the border between Turkey and northern Syria is still riddled with unrest.
GAZIANTEP, Turkey — The United States is praising the truce between forces supported by Turkey and Kurdish fighters. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Aug. 30, “The United States welcomes the overnight calm between the Turkish military and other counter-[Islamic State (IS)] forces in Syria.”
Shirvan Darwish, the media spokesman for the Manbij military council, which is allied with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and is one of the parties to the truce, told Al-Monitor, “The truce has been holding for three days, and no breach has been registered by either of the two sides.” He added, “We are committed to appeasement because we are part of the ground forces of the international coalition fighting the terrorist IS organization.”
In a striking development that may further complicate the Syrian crisis, Turkey supported its allies in the Syrian opposition Aug. 24 as they took control of the city of Jarablus, located on the border with Turkey. The operation involved the military council of the city of Jarablus, which is allied with the SDF, as Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions supported by Turkey clashed with the council. The FSA factions took control of lands and villages in the southern countryside of Jarablus after Turkish warplanes and artillery launched a violent attack to support factions allied with it in their military operations in Jarablus.
The border city of Jarablus was the last border crossing between Syria and Turkey under IS control. After the Turkish army launched its military operation in northern Syria, Turkish officials said their goal in Syria was to expel IS and prevent Kurdish fighters from expanding their control along the border. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly warned against the advance of Kurdish fighters to the west bank of the Euphrates River, which he deemed a “red line.”
