Ankara must go through US, Russia to get to YPG
Recent developments on the ground suggest that any new Syria incursion by Turkey could encounter unexpected obstacles.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is keeping on the table the topic of a military operation against US- and Russian-allied Syrian Kurds operating under the banner of the People's Protection Units (YPG).
“Despite the problems we are having with our allies, we are not stepping back from our plans or operations,” Erdogan told his guests during the Victory Day reception Aug. 30.
“They have to know that we are preparing to do whatever we did with [Operation] Euphrates Shield,” he added, referring to the 216-day military incursion Turkey launched into northern Syria a little over a year ago.
Ankara said at the time that its operation would not only target the Islamic State (IS) but also other terrorist elements, which in this case means the YPG, a group Turkey says is a Kurdish terrorist group.
