Turkey said it would launch a new operation within days against the US-backed Syrian Kurdish YPG militia Relations between the two NATO allies have long been strained by Syria policy ISTANBUL: Turkey pledged on Monday to press ahead with plans to target a Kurdish militia in northern Syria, brushing off what it said were American efforts to stymie Turkish military operations east of the Euphrates. President Tayyip Erdogan said last week that Turkey would launch a new operation within days against the US-backed Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria. The Pentagon expressed grave concern and said unilateral military action there by any party would be “unacceptable.” Relations between the two NATO allies have long been strained by Syria policy. The United States has backed the YPG against Daesh fighters. Ankara, however, sees the YPG as terrorists tied to PKK militants who have fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey for 34 years. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said Washington had tried to hold Turkey back during two operations in Syria in the last two years against Daesh and the YPG, which controls swathes of Syria’s northern border region. “The United States thought it could deter us with the men it has nurtured,” he said during a visit to Pakistan, state-owned news agency Anadolu reported. “Now, they will try to hold us back east of the Euphrates. Turkey did not, and will not, allow that.” Turkey has not yet launched an operation east of the Euphrates but has kept up regular air strikes against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants based in Iraq’s mountains. Baghdad summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Iraq on Friday after Ankara said it killed eight PKK fighters. But Turkish warplanes have since carried out further strikes. On Monday, Turkey’s defense ministry said air strikes on Sunday targeted northern Iraq’s Gara and Hakurk areas and “neutralized” seven militants preparing to attack Turkish bases. Erdogan has said Turkish forces will enter the Syrian town of Manbij, west of the Euphrates, if the United States does not remove YPG fighters there and will also target the eastern side, where the YPG controls an area stretching more than 400 km (250 miles) along the border toward Iraq. On Sunday he vowed again to maintain attacks on militants. “We are always in the heads of the terrorists. We are burying them in the ditches they dig. We will continue to bury them,” he said in a rally in Istanbul. “Terrorists will cease to be an affliction for my nation,” he said. “Together with God’s permission we are making those who attack our homeland and borders pay the price.” The United States has set up observation posts on the Syrian border, saying they will deter security threats against Turkey coming from Syria. It has warned Turkey against a new incursion. Topics: TURKEY SYRIA HIDE COMMENTS RELATED UPDATE 1692 MIDDLE-EAST Sudan president lands in Syria in 1st visit by Arab leader 687 MIDDLE-EAST Turkey says Trump working on extraditing wanted cleric Gulen Turkey may work with Syria’s Assad if elected fairly Updated 2 min 28 sec ago MENEKSE TOKYAY December 17, 2018 21:54 108 Renewed Ankara-Damascus ties will contribute to reconstruction of Syrian cities through Turkish companies, says analyst Mistrust between Ankara and Damascus remains a significant hurdle to smoother diplomatic relations ANKARA: In a potentially major policy shift, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Sunday said Ankara will consider working with Syrian President Bashar Assad if he wins a free and fair election. Ankara had previously called on Assad to step down following the start of the uprising against him in 2011. There are suggestions that the U-turn may be due to Turkey’s opposition to growing Kurdish influence on both sides of the border. “Turkey can’t solve the (Kurdish) Democratic Union Party (PYD) problem with the US alone,” said Timur Akhmetov, a researcher at the Russian International Affairs Council. “A start of dialogue with Assad … seems like a logical step.” Turkey will also be driven by ambitions to install friendly political figures in the Syrian government, Akhmetov added. “Renewed relations between Turkey and Syria will contribute to reconstruction of (Syrian) cities with Turkish companies and bilateral trade,” he said. A UN-led plan to draft reforms to Syria’s constitution, laying the ground for fresh elections, is expected to be established within weeks. Under the plan, the Syrian regime will choose 50 members of the Constitutional Committee, with Turkey proposing 50 Syrian opposition members and the UN nominating a further 50 people — comprising academics, experts and civil society members — to oversee the reforms. Last week, Ankara said it will launch within days a military campaign east of the Euphrates River against the Syrian-Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), whose political wing is the PYD. “Ankara may intend that Russia rhetorically supports such a campaign in exchange for a positive message about Assad’s theoretical chances of staying in power,” said Akhmetov. But mistrust between Ankara and Damascus remains a significant hurdle to smoother diplomatic relations. Last month, Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad demanded that Turkish “occupation” forces leave the country. He said Damascus would not count on Turkish assurances because Ankara’s intentions are “colonial” and “expansionist.” Aron Lund, a Syria analyst at the Century Foundation, said he does not think Turkey’s expressed willingness to work with Assad constitutes a big change. “What Cavusoglu seems to be saying is that Syria should have a democratic election, as is called for in UN Security Council resolution 2254, and that the winner — even if it’s Assad — could be considered legitimate by Turkey,” he told Arab News. Cavusoglu simply responded to a hypothetical question, Lund said, adding: “For now, Turkey seems content to continue along the current course of action, working with Russia to secure its interests in Syria and relaying messages to Damascus through Moscow and Tehran.” Ankara still refuses to talk directly to Damascus to seek an end to the conflict in Syria. Sinan Hatahet of Al-Sharq Forum in Istanbul said Turkey’s stance is conditional upon elections in Syria. “Previously, Turkish officials made it clear that they don’t believe that the regime would let elections happen,” he told Arab News. “It’s still difficult to believe there will be any reconciliation between the parties for now.” Topics: TURKEY SYRIA BASHAR ASSAD MIDDLE EAST ANKARA DAMASCUS SHOW COMMENTS RELATED 570 MIDDLE-EAST Turkey says it will not let the US hold it back in Syria 1640 MIDDLE-EAST Syrian fighters to support anti-Kurdish forces in northeast loading... Latest Updates Turkey may work with Syria’s Assad if elected fairly 108 Three rail workers detained after Turkish rail crash 118 SDF fighters vow to ‘finish off’ Daesh in Hajjin operation 112 Reinstated Sri Lanka PM promises ‘new era’ 148 Bodies of 2 Scandinavian women found in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains 610