A group of French MPs released a joint statement denouncing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ‘policy of war’ against the Kurds in northern Syria.
The statement signed by 102 MPs and published on Saturday in Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD) read:
“In the shadow of global sentiments while Vladimir Putin’s Russia commits more war crimes in Ukraine, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan plans to launch yet another bloodthirsty offensive against the Kurds of northern Syria. Today it is taking advantage of its status as a NATO hub in the context of the conflict in Ukraine to obtain a blank check from the Atlantic Alliance to intensify its attacks in northern Syria. In the regions controlled by the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian-Chaldean, Armenian and all ethnic groups live together and try to organise themselves within a democratic, feminist and ecological system, despite the appalling conditions due to the war. They fight to build peace, in permanent dialogue with the peoples.”
It continued:
“Erdoğan has already launched one offensive, in 2019, aimed at destabilising the Kurdish social and political fabric, at the cost of countless civilian casualties, immeasurable destruction and innumerable acts of barbarism. Western countries must no longer look away in the face of abuses committed by the Turkish army.”
Since early June Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly been saying that Turkey is determined to launch a fresh military campaign in northern Syria to extend its ‘security corridor’ in the face of ‘terror threats.’
Turkish air strikes targeting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), part of the global coalition in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), have been ramped up recently, as the United States, Russia and Iran have been voicing opposition to a Turkish ground operation to occupy further parts of northern Syria.
