Turkey: Europeans 'should be thankful to our soldiers'
October 21, 2019
The Turkish and Russian presidents are meeting in Sochi as the five-day cease-fire expires. In a DW interview, Ibrahim Kalin spoke about his country's aims in the Syria conflict and what to expect from the meeting.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/O. Ozer
Advertisement
Erdogan spokesman talks to DW
02:45
This browser does not support the video element.
At an interview with DW, Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said that if the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) pull back as agreed, there "won't be ... any need for further military action."
Kalin also noted that the main topic during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on Tuesday will be securing the safe zone to return Syrian refugees. Kalin said Turkey would only send refugees back to Syria who are willing to return, and will not tolerate a YPG presence in northeastern Syria, be it under the US or Russian flag.
DW: The cease-fire — or the cessation of hostilities, or whatever you'd like to call it — is about to end on Tuesday night. There have been quite a few reports that there have been violations of this cease-fire. Is that correct?
Ibrahim Kalin: That is true. We've reached this agreement with the Americans three days ago. The first phase was to be a pause in the operation, and the second one will be halting of the operation when YPG terrorists completely withdraw from the area. Unfortunately as of this morning there have been about 20 violations by YPG. They use snipers, rockets, attacking our soldiers as well as other groups there. We lost one soldier unfortunately in this incident. We are committed and sticking to the agreement. In fact, yesterday we identified the two routes to use and about 86 vehicles and ambulances went in, took these YPG people and left without any incidents. We are hoping that things will remain calm until tomorrow when the deadline is over and they have completely left the area by tomorrow evening. Then we can hold the operation as agreed in the joint declaration and agreement that we have had with the Americans.
Is there a chance that the cease-fire is going to be extended?
No; we said five days, 120 hours. If this part of the mission is completed by tomorrow and we make sure that all YPG terrorists have left the area then we will hold the operation.
Germany calls for international security zone in Syria
00:45
This browser does not support the video element.
So then there will be no further hostilities, is that what you're saying?
Yes, of course. There won't be ... any need for further military action but our military will make sure that these areas are safe for civilians. We had two main goals with this operation. One was to clear it from terrorists. The second one is to enable the refugees to go back to their homes. So we want to create conditions suitable for them to go back to towns that they've come from. We work with the UN principle, the return of the refugees voluntarily, safely and in a dignified manner. We will never force anybody to go anywhere they don't want to go.
To the contrary: in fact, the presence of our soldiers there is a guarantee, a safety for first moving the political process forward in Syria, secondly for the protection of Syrian refugees and internally displaced people. We have military presence in the Idlib area, we have 12 military posts. It is thanks to our soldiers in Idlib that we didn't have another humanitarian crisis and migration wave from Idlib. Remember, about 3 million people are squeezed in that part of Syria and if we had let the regime attack these places and take over the Idlib area, we would have had maybe a million or 2 million more refugees coming to Turkey because they have no other place to go. Our European friends should be thankful to our soldiers for doing this very dangerous but important work.
Erdogan is meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, and a lot seems to hinge on this meeting. Can you tell us what we can expect?
Syrian Kurds weigh few options as Turkey invades
People's lives have been upended by the Turkish offensive in northern Syria. Relief is mixed with worry that the Syrian regime is back as a force. Families are in flight, and the number of dead is rising in the region.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Kurdish families in search of safety
According to UN sources almost 200,000 people have become IDPs (internally displaced people) since Turkey launched an attack on Kurdish-controlled territories on October 9. Many Kurds have reportedly tried to cross the border to seek shelter in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, but only those who can produce an Iraqi-Kurdish resident card are allowed to cross.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Men alone
Many villages in Syria's northeast have nearly emptied of people over the last week. Women and children in towns close Turkey have been heading further inland, to Hassakeh, leaving the border region inhabited almost only by men. "Conditions are deteriorating rapidly in Hassakeh due to the massive flux of people, so we decided to stay," Suna, a mother of three children told DW.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Life has gone elsewhere
The once lively bazaar in Amuda has turned into a gloomy place where just a few men gather. Many shops have folded since the Turkish invasion began, and those which remain open sell products at hardly affordable prizes due to the collapse of the Syrian currency. Shelling form the other side of the frontier usually starts at dawn, so those who remain in the town hardly venture outside at night.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Back in town
Coexistence between the Syrian Kurdish administration and President Bashar Assad's regime in Qamishli, the main city in the country's northeast, has been tense since the Syrian civil war started in 2011. The recent deal between the two sides involves a redeployment of Syrian troops along the Turkish border. It is unclear who will be in control of the region in the short term.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Fighting on two fronts
While Kurdish combat units fight against the Turkish army and Ankara-backed militants, it's still unclear what the Syrian Kurdish fighters' status will be since reaching out to Assad for support. "We will keep controlling the area as we've done until today, there will be no substantial changes other than a joint command in certain border areas," officials told DW.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Uncertainty reigns
Syrian Kurds feel betrayed since the US president decided to pull out all remaining troops. Many told DW they felt relief that the Kurdish fighters had struck a deal with the Syrian regime to control the border areas as it could prevent Turkey from attacking their villages. "We know what Trump did to us, but we still know nothing about Putin's intentions," said Massud, a barbershop customer.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
'I would rather not speak'
After decades of brutal repression under the Assads, many residents in Derik refused to comment on the possible consequences of the regime's comeback to an area that has enjoyed de facto self-rule for several years. "The whole country was controlled by the secret services back then, and it may happen again soon, so no one will dare to talk to you about it," one person said.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Five more lost
All over Syria's northeast residents have had to deal corpses arriving daily from the frontlines. Turkish air strikes have hit both military targets and civilians so that many hospitals caring for wounded fighters, such as the one in Derik, have been evacuated to avoid further casualties.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Deaths mount
The Syrian Kurds claim to have lost around 11,000 people in the fight against the so-called Islamic State. Although IS has lost control over territory of any significant size, the killing continues. Dozens of civilians and hundreds of fighters have reportedly been killed since Turkey launched its attack on Syria's northeast.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
Left on their own
The Kurds in Syria opted to side neither with the regime nor the opposition after the civil war broke out in 2011. Now they stand alone, besieged and with no one to back them since their American allies withdrew.
Image: Karlos Zurutuza
10 images1 | 10
In the Astana process, we have worked extremely well with the Russians. We have reached the Idlib agreement. Now, with Americans saying that they're leaving northeast Syria we have a new situation in the northeastern part of Syria. This is what our president will discuss with President Putin tomorrow. We want to create this safe zone from the Euphrates River to the Iraqi border. That's about 444 kilometers approximately 171 miles). And we want to clear this area from all ISIS, PYD/YPG terrorists [the YPG are the armed wings of the Democratic Union Party, PYD — Editor's note] and other elements that may intimidate the refugees to go back to. This is not only Turkey's responsibility; obviously this is the responsibility of the international community. So that's why we are working with the Americans. We want to work with the Europeans. We are working with the Russians to make sure that this area becomes a safe zone for the Syrian refugees.
Most recently, the talk has been about much smaller zones that Turkey might take under its protection, if you will. Where does that come from?
Our president shared this plan with world leaders at the UN. It's not something new. Our president has called for a safe zone for many years. When the Syrian crisis began, our president called for a no-fly zone in the north of Syria because he knew that if the regime is not stopped, it will kill its own people. And that's exactly what happened. If he had this safe zone before, we will have saved many lives and probably we wouldn't face this refugee crisis. So we will discuss this with them, how we can create this area for the refugees and clear that area from YPG. We will not accept changing the American flag with the Russian flag and YPG still functioning in those areas, intimidating people and posing a threat to our national security.
There are accusations from Amnesty International and other human rights groups about human rights violations by Turkish or Turkish-supported forces in northern Syria. There is talk about attacks on civilians; there's even talk about napalm bombs. What's your response?
We take these allegations very seriously. If there have been any violations of the law on any unlawful act executions or attacks on civilians or anything like that we will take them very seriously. A number of investigations have been launched already into those cases.
There are millions of Turkish people living in Germany, also a very large number of Kurds. And tensions from the current conflict are spilling over into Germany. What would you advise?
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization in Germany [the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a militant political organization based in Turkey and Iraq — Editor's note]. German authorities are taking measures against this terrorist network, [when it is] showing up [with] flags and organizing events here. I think they should be very careful about this. Also, I have noticed that there have been a number of incidents. Some of our peaceful protesters and citizens have been attacked by PKK supporters. In fact, one embassy car has been burned. This is really terrible. About 20 or so of our citizens have been injured. I hope the German authorities will take strict measures against these people. We don't want the Turkish community to be affected by this. Within freedom of speech if they want to express their views, they are most welcome in Germany as well as in Turkey. But resorting to violence, using freedom of speech is not acceptable anywhere.
The US withdrawal of troops from Kurdish-controlled northeast Syria and the launch of the Turkish offensive have created a complicated web of actors, from Russia to Syrian government troops.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS/Staff Sgt. A. Goedl
US: Troop pullback
Over the past years, US troops have supported Kurdish fighters as they battled radical "Islamic State" (IS) militants to take back control of large areas of northern Syria. In what was seen as a surprising turnaround, US President Donald Trump announced in early October that he was withdrawing US troops from the region's border with Turkey. This pullback left a vacuum for others to act and react.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS/Staff Sgt. A. Goedl
Turkey: Anti-Kurdish offensive
Trump's troop withdrawal was a de-facto go-ahead for Turkey to launch an offensive into northeast Syria. The region is home to a largely autonomous Kurdish population and Kurdish militants known as the YPG, who are tied to an outlawed Kurdish party in Turkey. Turkey, who has faced a Kurdish insurgency, sees the Syrian Kurds as a threat to its security, hence the military action.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/M. Akif Parlak
Kurdish YPG: Fighting Turkish forces
The YPG was one of the US' main allies in the fight to drive out IS from north Syria, but since October it has been fighting the Turkish forces that crossed into Syria. The YPG lacks strong air capabilities and defenses, putting it at a decided disadvantage in comparison to the Turkish army.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Souleiman
SDF: Betrayed by the US
The YPG is the largest component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which also includes Arab and Christian militias. The SDF, which fought IS, controls northeastern Syria and feels betrayed by the US pullback. It is now fighting Turkish troops and their allies. It has warned that the Turkish offensive could distract from making sure IS fighters do not renew their strength in Syria.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/D. Souleiman
Syrian government army: Deal made
The relationship between Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops and the SDF is a tricky one that shifts between cooperation, live-and-let-live and skirmishes, depending on the current situation. After Turkey launched its offensive, the Kurds struck a deal with the government that saw Syrian troops mobilized to fight the Turkish forces, allowing them to enter a region they had ceded to the SDF.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot
Russia: Stepping up, stepping in
Russia has consistently backed the government of Syrian President Assad (L, with Putin in 2018) and assisted its forces. After US troops pulled out of the Kurdish areas, Russia moved its troops in to act as a buffer for Syrian government forces advancing towards the Turkish army. Moscow wants Syria to remain united and has accused the US of creating parallel structures in the Kurdish region.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Klimentyev
SNA: Turkey's Syrian allies
Turkey also has allies among Syrian fighters. The Syrian National Army (SNA), also known as the Free Syrian Army, is a Syrian rebel group that has fought against the SDF and Assad's government. Backed by Turkey, SNA fighters took part in previous Turkish offensives against Kurdish militias inside Syria. Currently, thousands of SNA fighters are fighting the YPG alongside Turkish forces.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/B. Kasim
IS: A renewed role?
One possible future actor is IS. While it was essentially defeated in March 2019, tens of thousands of its fighters and their families remain in prisons or guarded camps in the Kurdish area of the country. Nearly a thousand alone have already escaped from a camp that was caught in the fighting between Kurdish militias and Turkish forces. Should the situation grow more unstable, IS could regroup.
