
by Jamie Dettmer June 22, 2015
Turkey has warned the United States and Western powers of red lines when it comes to the Kurds and their military advances against Islamic extremists in northern Syria, including a firm position the Kurds must not threaten the territorial integrity of Syria by seeking their own autonomous Kurdish State.
There should also be no demographic changes or population shifts on the Syrian side of the border as a result of Kurdish military offensives against Islamic State (IS) militants, also known as ISIL, according to a policy document reportedly approved by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The document was drafted during two high-level security meetings at Turkey's foreign ministry, after Kurdish fighters captured the Syrian border town of Tal Abyad from the Islamic State last week. "No one can act in their own interest just because they are fighting ISIL.... The demographic structure of the region cannot be changed through a fait accompli," states one section of the document leaked to Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper.
The military gains by fighters from the Kurdish YPG, or People's Protection Units, which are dominated by Syria's Democratic Union Party (PYD), are increasingly alarming President Erdogan. The PYD is an offshoot of Turkey's own outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has pursued a campaign for Kurdish self-rule since 1984. Peace talks between Ankara and the PKK have stalled.
Kurdish gains
Backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against the IS, the Kurds have united two cantons along the border, establishing a contiguous Kurdish region stretching from Kobani in the west to Hasakah province in the east.
The Turks fear the United States is giving a green light to the Kurds' post-civil war ambitions. And some analysts agree.
The backing of Kurdish advances with airstrikes "signaled U.S. support for some form of contiguous Kurdish autonomous region in northern Syria, despite continuing Turkish reservations regarding the expansion of YPG's influence on its southern border," argue Christopher Kozak and Genevieve Casagrande, analysts with the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-backed think tank.
According to the Turkish policy document, Ankara's alarm has been communicated to Washington, NATO and the U.N. Security Council. "The United States has recognized Turkey's claim and conveyed it to the PYD administration at the highest level," the document notes.
But it remains unclear whether the Obama administration at a later stage will support Syrian Kurdish calls for a separate autonomous state or whether it is focused only on the fight against IS.
Last year, when the United States dropped supplies to Kurdish fighters battling to defend the border town of Kobani, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he understood Ankara's concerns about the PYD's ties to the PKK. He appeared to indicate U.S. support for the Syrian Kurds was temporary in nature. "It would be irresponsible of us, as well morally very difficult, to turn your back on a community fighting ISIL, as hard as it is," he said.
Tal Abyad
On June 11, as Kurdish forces, supported by some anti-Assad Arab rebel militias, closed in on Tal Abyad, President Erdogan warned: "The West, which is hitting Arabs and Turkmen of Tal Abyad from the air, is sadly settling the PYD and PKK terror organizations in their places." On June 14, he said the YPG seizure of Tal Abyad "could lead to the creation of a structure (independent state) that threatens our borders".
More than 20,000 people from the mainly Arab town of Tal Abyad and surrounding villages fled over the border into Turkey as the battle between Kurdish fighters and jihadists raged, prompting Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc to accuse the Kurds of engaging in "ethnic cleansing" in Tal Abyad.
Some Syrian rebel militias fighting to oust Syria's President Bashar al-Assad have repeated the charge, maintaining the PYD is trying to effect a demographic change along the border to expand Kurdish territory by perpetrating abuses against Arab civilians as they advance, including the burning of Arab homes.
But the accusation has been denied vehemently by Syrian Kurds, including by the PYD leader Salih Muslim, who in an interview with CNNTurk insisted the claim is not true and dismissed the allegation that his fighters are creating a "Kurdish corridor." "There is no corridor," he said. "We are fighting against ISIL's jihadists and the international community sees us as the ones who are the most effective in this fight against the ISIL. And we are satisfied with it."
He warned, "Some circles are trying to ignite a Kurdish-Arab military conflict."
The PYD is currently in negotiations with various independent Syrian civil society groups to arrange for them to conduct a fact-finding trip to Tal Abyad and surrounding villages. There has been no independent verification of Ankara's allegations about Kurdish fighters trying to engineer population shifts along the border.
The allegation just in itself, though, may complicate the next steps in the Kurdish offensive against IS. "YPG gains will also likely exacerbate tensions between Syrian Kurds, the Turkish government, and the Assad regime in a way which limits the options available to both the YPG and the United States," predict Institute for the Study of War analysts Kozak and Casagrande. "These accusations may threaten to disrupt the current cooperation between Kurdish forces and the Syrian opposition" during preparations for an offensive on Raqqa City, the Islamic State's de facto capital in Syria.
» A gradual decrease in the dollar exchange rate in Baghdad
» Finance writes off governorate allocations..popular anger and parliamentary action
» The Iraqi judiciary agrees to Ashtar's waiver of the amount supposed to be paid to the Rafidain Bank
» Iraq loses 3 trillion dinars in one year due to the corruption of outlets
» After being subjected to air attacks, will Iraq succeed in obtaining an advanced radar system?
» Despite paying the full war debts.. Iraq is obligated to pay other money to Kuwait
» Parliamentarian: Al-Sadr killed his revolution and retreated from the demands for a radical change o
» Iraqi oil exports to independent Chinese refineries rise in a month
» Government official: Iraq is not thinking of floating the currency at the moment
» “Disastrous effects” .. UN report: The construction of an alcohol dam threatens food security in Ira
» From Mosul.. Al-Kazemi invites the political blocs
» Negotiations begin between the National Investment Commission and Hanwha regarding housing units
» The Central Committee of the Sadrist Movement issues a notice regarding the upcoming Friday prayer
» "In order to understand the world, I understand the economy." A new book by an Iraqi economist at th
» A pessimistic report by the United Nations: a mass exodus in Iraq and the drowning of 3 provinces
» Finance announces the release of funds for lecturers and administrators in the governorates
» Health announces the imminent opening of 30 hospitals in Baghdad and the provinces
» Official statistics: Ashura visitors made 220 million phone calls in two days
» The Iraqi Insurance Company announces the provision of new insurance coverage
» The start of talks between the Investment Authority and the Korean Hanwha regarding the completion o
» Representative Ali Shaddad describes what Basra is being exposed to as a big conspiracy and holds th
» The surroundings of Parliament are filled with Husseini processions in an unprecedented scene
» Contrasting speeches penetrated into the struggle of Al-Matoulah between Al-Sadr and Al-Maliki
» British report: Attacks on doctors are increasing, and a large part of them are considering emigrati
» Suggestions to exclude amending the constitution: a complex process at the current stage
» The Ashura Letters between Al-Sadr and Al-Maliki deepen the crisis of dissolving Parliament
» The Food Security Act leaves a new shock to the graduates and the unemployed
» Al-Kazemi: There are great efforts to rebuild Mosul
» Release of funds for lecturers and administrators for the governorates
» Parliamentary direction to resolve the file of their contracts terminated in the Ministry of Defense
» Al-Kazemi: The political blocs are required to assume their responsibilities by resolving the issue
» Iraq reissues a consignment to Jordan
» With a difference of 100 dinars.. dollar exchange rates on the Iraqi Stock Exchange
» Al-Rafidain Bank confirms its continued granting of advances and loans
» Finance addresses the service council regarding the first graduates and those with higher degrees
» The Ministry of Finance calls on the governorates to receive the books of the lecturers' wage differ
» Slight decline in oil prices
» In the presence of Blackshart.. The start of a meeting of Kurdish parties in Erbil
» The new generation decides to boycott the meeting of the presidency of the region with the heads of
» Al-Maliki requires the dissolution of Parliament by reconvening its sessions.. Al-Sadr tweets: Corru
» Al-Kazemi: Dialogue for a thousand years is better than the moment we collide with as Iraqis
» Monday Night KTFA CC "Kazemi Is Like E.F.Hutton" 8-8-2022
» Al-Fateh responds to Al-Sadr's calls: No early elections and no return for the current's representat
» An expert talks about Iraq's loss of two million dollars a day.. Where do you go?
» Iraq's Brink of the Abyss... A Reminder of Nechirvan Barzani's Initiative
» The industry details its plan to rehabilitate and operate the suspended factories
» Electricity: Formation of a higher ministerial committee to oversee the electricity file in the sout
» How big is the Iraqi investments in Jordan?
» Commencement of construction of the "tallest" residential tower in Iraq
» Rule of Law: There are no close political understandings
» The FBI raids Trump's home in search of presidential records, and his son hangs
» A statement by Iraqi intellectuals and journalists regarding the arrest campaign in the Kurdistan re
» The New Generation Movement: Kurdistan's demonstrations will come back stronger
» More than 3,800 accidents during 6 months in Iraq received nearly 4.9 trillion dinars in compensatio
» 40% of Iraqi oil export revenues to China, with which Iraq bought Chinese goods
» Iraq "sacrificed" $20 million a day to persuade India to buy its oil after fierce Russian competitio
» Al-Kazemi will visit Nineveh tomorrow to lay the foundation stone for Mosul Airport
» After the end of the deadline for the Minister of Al-Sadr.. the protesters were removed from Parliam
» Al-Kazemi and Al-Hakim discuss political, economic and security files and discuss the "complete shut
» Al-Sadr: (Dissolving Parliament) has become a popular, political and elitist demand for which there
» The coordinating framework reveals the truth of the agreement to change Al-Sudani to absorb Al-Sadr'
» Al-Kazemi and Al-Halbousi present joint visions to strengthen the constitution and the law
» After the controversy over the $600 million contract, Faik Zeidan talks with Allawi about "contract
» The issue of the 600-dollar contract is escalating.. A Sadrist leader: Ali Ghulam "my tire" and the
» Al-Sadr proposes a "solution" to the political crisis: forming a government devoid of the Sadrists a
» Al-Sadr: God does not judge us (the corrupt)
» Al-Maliki: Parliament will not be dissolved or early elections unless this condition is met
» Iraq decides to allow Kuwaitis to roam the country in their cars without paying any money
» More than 43 thousand tons of raw sugar reach the southern port of Umm Qasr
» The Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and UNICEF conclude the activities of the Worl
» After defining his demands, will al-Sadr negotiate the coordination framework?
» Al-Sadr: Reform will defeat corruption in Iraq
» Suddenly, FBI agents storm Trump's house
» Iraq's total imports are close to 17 billion dollars... and China is the most important partner
» Its imports are equivalent to oil.. Iraq loses its religious tourism to “win” morale
» Sadr's supporters inaugurate the ninth day of the sit-in with hundreds of tents
» Economist: This is the value of what Iraqis spend on private generators
» Continuing the policy of Arabization in Kirkuk..Deletion of the Kurdish language from official books
» Once again his threat to invade.. Erdogan: The decision to establish the "safe zone" is still valid
» A “historic” corruption deal fines an Iraqi government bank $600 million
» A source reveals the latest developments regarding the 14th Kurdistan Democratic Congress
» Headed by Nechirvan Barzani and attended by Blackshart.. Kurdistan political forces meeting Wednesda
» Nechirvan Barzani on Ashura commemoration: We continue to draw lessons from it for sacrifice and sta
» Kurdistan Democratic Socialist: 'Confederation' is the solution to Iraq's problems
» Early elections, a lifeboat in danger of sinking
» More than 10 billion dollars in Iraq's imports from China in a year
» Alia Nassif calls for the arrest of those involved in the Ishtar Gate scandal... and confirms: This
» Falling oil prices in world markets
» The rise in the exchange rate of the dollar
» Britain: We have confidence in the wisdom of the Iraqi political leaders to come up with practical s
» Saleh on Ashura: Our country needs a comprehensive reform
» Al-Halbousi: The Epic of Ashura is a guide to freedom seekers
» Al-Maliki: There is no solution to Parliament and no elections unless the Parliament returns to sess
» Al-Sadr: Like me, he does not swear allegiance to corruption..Will Nasser help us?
» Some "Monday News" Posted by Samson at KTFA 8-8-2022
» The Central Bank raises the maximum limit for virtual electronic cards
» Some "Sunday News" Posted by Samson at KTFA 8-7-2022
» KTFA Members "News and Views" Saturday 8-6-2022