U.S. Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey
U.S. Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey visited northern Syria’s Hasakah after the news of Turkey’s upcoming military operation to boost the morale of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists, according to reports.
Turkey will launch an operation in the east of the Euphrates in a few days to liberate the region from the PKK terrorist organization, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Wednesday.
The terrorists allegedly told Jeffrey, who is the former ambassador to Ankara, that “If Turkey attacks, our fight against Daesh will come to an end.” Jeffrey is expected to stay in the region a while longer and continue his contacts.
Following the meeting with the U.S. envoy, PKK’s so-called Syria spokesman Nuri Mahmoud addressed PKK terrorists and said, “If there is an attack, we will respond. All our forces believe in the revolution.”
PKK’s so-called heads, who often gather together the region’s tribes, are threatening locals, saying that they will seize everything they have if they don’t support the terror group.
U.S. Commander Sean Robertson, in response to the upcoming Turkish operation, said: “Unilateral military action into north-east Syria by any party, particularly as U.S. personnel may be present or in the vicinity, is of grave concern.”
“Our target is never American troops,” Erdoğan had said on Wednesday.
A mission east of the Euphrates, which Turkey’s leadership has been suggesting for months, would follow two successful cross-border Turkish operations into Syria since 2016 – Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch – both meant to eradicate the presence of YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists near Turkey’s borders.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. The PKK has been conducting armed violence in the southeastern part of Turkey since 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the three-decade long conflict.
The YPG/PKK terrorist group continues its efforts to form a state in the region east of the Euphrates River in Syria, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a military operation will be launched soon.The terror group has changed the population structure of the area and has taken under control the country’s richest energy resources, agricultural lands and water resources.YPG/PKK is increasing its level of threat with thousands of armed men.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch.On Wednesday, Erdogan announced that an operation to clear east of Euphrates river of the YPG/PKK terrorists will start in a few days.The terror group has occupied the region east of the Euphrates, which shares a 480-kilometer-long (298 miles) border with Turkey.Turkish provinces of Sanliurfa, Mardin and Sirnak border the region.The region east of Euphrates spreads to more than 45,000 square kilometers (17,374 square miles).According to Anadolu Agency's map calculations, the area forms one third of Syrian territories.Since October 2014, the YPG/PKK has occupied territories located east of the Euphrates with an intensive support of the U.S., which provided arms to the terror group and bombed Daesh targets.
YPG/PKK’s terror structure in region east of Euphrates