Fresh Turkish offense will lead to ‘humanitarian crisis:’ SDF commander

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A new Turkish operation in northern Syria will lead to a “humanitarian crisis,” the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Thursday, a day after Turkey affirmed its stance to clear the area from “terrorists,” referring to Syrian Kurdish armed forces. 

Mazloum Abdi, said in a tweet that they were concerned about the prospect of a new military escalation by the Turkish forces in northern Syria, stating that such an offensive was detrimental to the people of the country, as well as the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS). 

“Any offensive will divide Syrians, create a new humanitarian crisis, and displace original inhabitants and IDPs [internally displaced persons],” read the tweet from Abdi.

The top commander called on actors to prevent new tragedies from unraveling and to support a de-escalation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week that Ankara would launch a new military operation into northern Syria to create a 30 kilometer “security zone” along its southern border. The offense is likely aimed at pushing back Kurdish fighters from the area.

Ankara alleges that the fighters are allied with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group fighting for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey and is viewed as a terrorist organization by Ankara.

The US, which has been a main ally of the SDF during its fight against ISIS in northeast Syria (Rojava), has warned against the offense.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Wednesday called on Turkey to maintain the ceasefire lines in northern Syria, saying America does not want to see anything jeopardize the efforts they have made with the SDF in the area.