Jarablus and Manbij military councils vow to stand against Turkish military incursion
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Turkish bombardments and military intervention in Jarablus over the last few days have created many reactions from the military councils of Jarablus and Manbij and the Syrian Kurdish People’s Defense Units (YPG).
“The Turkish bombardments are threatening the fate of the region and this will turn the area to new conflict amid threats from the factions affiliated with the Turkish occupation,” the Jarablus Military Council said in a statement on Friday.
It added: “We, the military council of Jarablus and its surrounding, emphasize that such acts won’t discourage us from our goal to protect our people against any enemy. We emphasize that our main target is ISIS (Islamic State) and the fight against terrorism. But we won’t relent from defending ourselves and the people. The Turkish army and factions affiliated with Turkey are responsible for consequences that follow such hostile actions which try to obstruct efforts to fight terrorism and we ask for a stop to targeting our forces that are fighting ISIS.”
Turkey began a military campaign last week to clean up Jarablus, across its border in Syria, of ISIS.
The Jarablus council warned Turkish troops against any provocative actions and called on the international community to intervene to stop Turkey’s intervention
“We warn Turkish troops against such provocative and irresponsible actions,” it said. “We can defend ourselves and we ask the international community and global coalition forces to intervene to stop such actions, which will have negative consequences on the situation in northern Aleppo and the war on terror.”
Meanwhile, the Manbij Military Council issued a statement on Saturday, saying it “announces its complete support to its brothers in the Jarablus Military Council.” It expressed its “readiness against hostile plans that are implemented by Turkey’s mercenaries.”
It asked all democratic forces in Syria to stop the Turkish military campaign.
“We see the new Turkish hostility as defiance of the war on terror. The Manbij council calls on all the democratic forces to stop the Turkish efforts to transfer its internal crisis to the north of Aleppo,” it said. “We warn the Turkish forces and its mercenaries against changing what is called the Turkish security line,” the Manbij statement added
The YPG also declared it was going to fight against Turkish troops, as their main target is ISIS.
“Regarding increased Turkish military attacks on our border positions in the three cantons (in northern Syria), we continue to exercise an approach of restraint, refusing engagement despite the losses we suffer,” the YPG said. “The goal remains the fighting against Daesh (ISIS) and not Turkish forces,” the YPG command added in its statement on Saturday, published on twitter.