SDF commander Abdi: Turkey seeks pretext for new offensive
Hakan Fidan, former head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and current Turkish Foreign Minister, made a statement at a press conference following his meeting with the Foreign Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. In his speech, Fidan claimed that the bombers in Ankara came from Syria. He went on to say that the Turkish army would respond to the attack, threatening that “they will regret having carried out such an act”.
Fidan’s allegations: a sign of a new invasion?
Hakan Fidan had previously said that ‘all PKK/YPG infrastructure and facilities in Iraq and Syria are now their target and advised third parties to stay away from those sites’. In response, the US State Department spokesperson said that the US stands with Turkey. There are concerns that the Turkish authorities are signaling new attacks by invading the region on the pretext of threats of attacks from Syria, which they have never been able to document in the past.
Meanwhile, Hakan Fidan also met with Syrian opposition leaders on Tuesday. Fidan met with Hadi al-Bahra, President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Badr Jamous, President of the Syrian Negotiations Commission, and Abdurrahman Mustafa, Head of the Syrian Interim Government. Additionally, Fidan held a meeting in Ankara with Michael Spindelegger, Director General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). There has been no disclosure of the content of the meetings.
Abdi: Turkey looks for pretext to legitimize its attacks
Mazlum Abdi, General Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), issued a statement on Hakan Fidan’s allegations targeting north and east Syria. Abdi said that the attackers in Ankara did not come from their region, and that Turkey is looking for an excuse to attack. In his statement on his social media account, Abdi said: “The perpetrators of the Ankara attack did not pass through our regions as Turkish officials claimed. We are not a party to the internal conflict in Turkey and we do not encourage its escalation. We are deeply concerned that Turkey is looking for pretexts to legitimize its ongoing attacks on our regions and to launch a new military offensive. Targeting the infrastructure and economic resources of the region and its populated cities is a war crime and we have seen it before. We therefore call on the guarantor parties and the international community to take appropriate positions against these recurring threats and to ensure peace and stability in the region”.
SDF: False accusations to pave the way for genocide
The SDF Media Center also rejected allegations that the perpetrators of the Ankara attack had crossed the border. In its statement, the SDF said: “Their use of our territories are untrue, repeated accusations and come as a continuation of the cycle of false accusations that Turkey has always pursued in the recent period to divert attention from its internal problems and crises and pave the way for the crimes of ethnic cleansing and genocide against our people. Our forces reiterate their steadfast commitment to ensuring internal and regional security.”
Heavy attacks by Turkish drones
Following the allegations, the Turkish army’s drones have been carrying out intensive attacks on northern and eastern Syria since the morning hours today. Turkish drones bombed the village of Tewile in Til Temir and the village of Til Hebesh in Amude. Casualties have been reported in the attacks.
Turkish warplanes also carried out attacks in Heseke. The Turkish army bombed a vehicle near the Hime station in the Mişerfa neighborhood and also bombed the area around the Waşukani camp. The Waşukani camp was built by the Autonomous Administration after the occupation of Serekaniye to house displaced people in the region. The ANHA news agency said the camp had been bombed several times, adding that there had been casualties in the attack on the vehicle. Aerial movement is still ongoing in the region.