Published 17:42 IST, October 7th 2019
Turkey to not allow ISIS to return, US to withdraw from Turkish border
Turkey will not be permitting the Islamic State group to return to the country as they fear that the ISIS group would threaten the Kurdish militia in Syria
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Turkey will not be permitting the Islamic State group to return to the country as they fear that the ISIS group would threaten the Kurdish militia in Syria which could further strengthen the jihadists. Ibrahim Kalin, a special advisor to the President of Turkey tweeted that Turkey will continue to fight against DAESH as well. On October 06, the White House has also reportedly claimed to move its forces away from the Turkish border as Turkey would begin operation in a part of northeastern Syria in which the US doesn't want to be involved.
2/Safe zone will serve two purposes: secure Turkey’s borders by eliminating terrorist elements and allow refugees to return to their homes.
— Ibrahim Kalin (@ikalin1) October 7, 2019
Turkey will also continue to fight against DAESH and will not allow it to return in any shape and form.
The announcement by the White House is considered to be major blow to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as the withdrawal threatened to create a security vacuum that might reverse the successful effort to defeat ISIS. Mustafa Bali, the official SDF spokesperson told an international media outlet that the US decision to stand aside is a huge mistake and will allow ISIS to reunite itself and appear again stronger than before. He further also claimed that the policy of the US is to betray their friends and allies.
The US decision
The White House decision came after Turkey signaled its intention to begin operations, stating that an incursion was expected in the region as the US troops had been seeking to broker an argument between Turkey and the Syrian Kurds. After the statement, the US made it very clear that it will no longer support or be involved in the operations. They further also added that the US will no longer be in the immediate area. The United States has apparently struggled for years with how to reconcile its support for the SDF and its Kurdish Component with its delicate relationship with Turkey which has always considered the Kurdish fighters in Syria to be inseparably linked tot he PKK, which is reportedly considered to be a terrorist group by the US.
Updated 19:38 IST, October 7th 2019