Turkey is actively seeking pretexts to legitimise its ongoing cross-border attacks and possibly launch a new military aggression, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi said on Wednesday in a statement challenging the Turkish authorities’ narrative.
He stressed that such actions are a source of deep concern for the SDF and the local population in north-eastern Syria.
Abdi’s statement came in response to accusations and threats made earlier in the day by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Fidan declared on Wednesday that all infrastructure and facilities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the People’s Defence Units (YPG) in Iraq and Syria are now considered legitimate targets for the Turkish armed forces, citing the recent bombing in Ankara on 1 October. He said the perpetrators of the bombing had crossed over from Syria after receiving training there.
Abdi vehemently denied the allegations, stating:
“The perpetrators of the Ankara attack did not pass through our region as Turkish officials claim, and we don’t take part in Turkey’s internal conflict, nor do we encourage escalation.”
Stressing the gravity of the situation, Abdi said, “The threat to target the region’s infrastructure, economic resources and populated cities is a war crime, something we have witnessed before.”
Abdi concluded the statement by calling on the guarantor states and the international community to take appropriate positions in response to Turkey’s repeated threats. He stressed the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the region and called on the international community to play a role in de-escalating tensions and preventing further conflict.