If Turkey launches a new military offensive in northern Syria, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will turn to the government in Damascus for help, the group announces.
The military alliance SDF is preparing for long battles if Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes his plans to create a “safe zone” along the Turkish border 30 miles into Syria a reality by military means. After a meeting, the SDF announces that their goal is to reduce tensions along the border, but that they will turn to Bashar al-Assad’s government in Damascus for help if the invasion takes place.
The relationship between the SDF, which is supported by the United States, and Assad has been chilly in recent years. But according to a statement from the Kurdish-led group, they are ready to “coordinate with the forces of the Damascus government to counter all possible enemy attacks from Turkey and protect Syrian territory from occupation.”
However, what such a collaboration would look like has not been stated more specifically.
According to the AP, the statement can be seen as a message aimed directly at the United States, for Washington to put pressure on Turkey and get Erdogan to put down his plans on an offensive.