Erdogan repeats threat of military action on Manbij, accuses US of stalling
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Accusing the United States of “stalling” on the Manbij file, Turkey’s president vowed he would push ahead to eliminate “terrorists” east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria.
“The US has turned the agreement we reached on Manbij into a tool for stalling us,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told provincial leaders of his party, AKP, in Ankara on Friday.
“Now it is time to eliminate the terrorist hotbeds east of the Euphrates and to make those places livable for our Syrian brothers and sisters, who are the true owners of the region,” he declared, adding that the issue of Manbij will “sooner or later” be resolved to suit Ankara’s wishes.
The US and Turkey agreed on a roadmap for the city of Manbij to address Ankara’s accusation that the Kurdish YPG forces in northern Syria are a branch of the PKK. Turkey has repeatedly threatened military action against the city.
Manbij is under the administration of a local council and its affiliated Manbij Military Council (MMC). Spokesperson for the MMC, Shervan Derwish, announced on Friday the formation of the council’s fifth military regiment.
American and Turkish forces started conducting separate but coordinated patrols in the Manbij area in June. They are now undergoing training with an eye to joint patrols.
US and Manbij official have stressed that Turkish forces will not enter the city.
The YPG, under the banner of the SDF, are leading the war against ISIS in coordination with the US-led coalition in northern Syria.
A spokesperson for the YPG said that Turkey always renews it threats against the Kurds when ISIS comes under threat on the battlefield, pointing to Turkey’s military offensive in Afrin that distracted from the battle with ISIS in Deir ez-Zor province.
“Today, again… after we started the campaign to eradicate Daesh [ISIS] totally, again threats by the president of Turkey on Manbij and northern Syria come forth again,” Nuri Mahmud told Rudaw earlier this month.
He claimed this revealed Turkish support for ISIS: “Without a doubt, this shows their direct relations with Daesh are good and strong.”
He insisted that the world knows the YPG no longer has a presence in Manbij, having withdrawn all their forces earlier this year.
"It is a fact that the people of Manbij from now on, whether the military council or civil council, can administer itself on its own… The coalition and the world know well that none of our forces as the YPG are there.”
“The US has turned the agreement we reached on Manbij into a tool for stalling us,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told provincial leaders of his party, AKP, in Ankara on Friday.
“Now it is time to eliminate the terrorist hotbeds east of the Euphrates and to make those places livable for our Syrian brothers and sisters, who are the true owners of the region,” he declared, adding that the issue of Manbij will “sooner or later” be resolved to suit Ankara’s wishes.
The US and Turkey agreed on a roadmap for the city of Manbij to address Ankara’s accusation that the Kurdish YPG forces in northern Syria are a branch of the PKK. Turkey has repeatedly threatened military action against the city.
Manbij is under the administration of a local council and its affiliated Manbij Military Council (MMC). Spokesperson for the MMC, Shervan Derwish, announced on Friday the formation of the council’s fifth military regiment.
American and Turkish forces started conducting separate but coordinated patrols in the Manbij area in June. They are now undergoing training with an eye to joint patrols.
US and Manbij official have stressed that Turkish forces will not enter the city.
The YPG, under the banner of the SDF, are leading the war against ISIS in coordination with the US-led coalition in northern Syria.
A spokesperson for the YPG said that Turkey always renews it threats against the Kurds when ISIS comes under threat on the battlefield, pointing to Turkey’s military offensive in Afrin that distracted from the battle with ISIS in Deir ez-Zor province.
“Today, again… after we started the campaign to eradicate Daesh [ISIS] totally, again threats by the president of Turkey on Manbij and northern Syria come forth again,” Nuri Mahmud told Rudaw earlier this month.
He claimed this revealed Turkish support for ISIS: “Without a doubt, this shows their direct relations with Daesh are good and strong.”
He insisted that the world knows the YPG no longer has a presence in Manbij, having withdrawn all their forces earlier this year.
"It is a fact that the people of Manbij from now on, whether the military council or civil council, can administer itself on its own… The coalition and the world know well that none of our forces as the YPG are there.”