11/02/2021 Turkey (International Christian Concern) – Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) met with commanders of the Free Syrian Army in Ankara to discuss a new Turkish operation in northern Syria. Following a cross-border attack by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) resulting in the death of two Turkish special operations police and the injury of two more, Turkey promised a swift response.
“We have no patience left with some areas that are a source of terrorist attacks aimed at our country from Syria,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said. Turkey considers the YPG the Syrian offshoot branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group designated terrorist group by several international governments. However, in alleged pursuit of the YPG and PKK, Turkey has bombarded several Christian villages in Syria and Iraq.
According to a pro-government newspaper, Türkiye, some 35,000 troops will be deployed to the Tell Rifaat, Manbij, Ayn Issa and Tell Temer fronts. The plan was coordinated with the FSA, and Turkish troops will fight with the support of commanders who previously fought in Iraq and Syria. At the end of October, Turkish parliament also ratified a two-year plan for continued military operations in Iraq and Syria.
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