Two US senators introduced bipartisan legislation on Friday 20 December, aiming to impose sanctions on Turkey over its military actions and the activities of Ankara-backed groups in northern Syria.
As reported by Reuters, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham introduced the “Countering Turkish Aggression Act of 2024.” They expressed hope that the threat of sanctions would encourage the parties to agree to a ceasefire. However, they emphasised the importance of Washington engaging diplomatically with Turkey to establish a sustained ceasefire and a demilitarised zone along the Turkey-Syria border.
In this context, Senator Chris Van Hollen, highlighting Turkey’s actions as a threat to regional security, wrote on his X account:
“Attacks by Turkish-backed forces on our Syrian Kurdish partners undermine regional security & efforts to prevent an ISIS resurgence. Today Sen Graham & I introduced a bill to impose sanctions on Turkey—which we should enact if they do not accept a ceasefire & demilitarized zone.”
“We seek a united, inclusive, stable Syria for all Syrians — and supporting our Syrian Kurdish partners is essential to accomplishing that goal.”
Responding to Turkey’s destabilising actions in Syria, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on 17 December that the US is engaging with both the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkey to find a path forward. He stressed the need to extend the ceasefire, cautioning against any party exploiting Syria’s instability for narrow gains at the expense of national unity.
Last week, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) ended a truce with the Kurdish-led SDF, prompting Van Hollen and Graham to issue a joint statement. They emphasised the 2019 ceasefire’s pivotal role in saving lives, stabilising the region, and bolstering the fight against terrorism. Condemning Turkey’s renewed aggression, the senators warned that such actions jeopardise regional peace and undermine US strategic efforts.
