Turkish invasion into Syria 'could be imminent,' US fears

The officials cited a significant Turkish military buildup near Kobani, a Kurdish-majority city on the Syria-Turkey border.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 17, 2024 08:32

Turkish soldiers stand at the Cilvegozu border gate to cross into Syria. December 10, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/DILARA SENKAYA)

The United States is increasingly alarmed that Turkey and its militia allies are preparing for a large-scale military incursion into Syrian territory controlled by US-backed Kurdish forces, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday, citing US officials. 

The officials cited a significant Turkish military buildup near Kobani, a Kurdish-majority city on the Syria-Turkey border, sparking fears of imminent conflict.

According to US officials cited in the report, the buildup resembled Turkish movements seen ahead of its 2019 invasion of northeast Syria. One US official, speaking to the WSJ, warned that “a cross-border operation could be imminent.”

The officials also emphasized that a new Turkish offensive would deepen instability in the region and undermine efforts to maintain security against Islamic State remnants.

The report detailed the deployment of Turkish uniformed commandos, artillery units, and allied militias to strategic positions along the border. 

Assad poster burns in Syria (credit: SCREENSHOT/X)

In response to the escalating situation, Ilham Ahmed, a senior official in the Kurdish civilian administration in Syria, penned a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, urging him to pressure Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to abandon the planned operation.

Ahmed’s letter, obtained by the WSJ, stated that Turkey aimed to seize control of Kurdish territory before Trump’s inauguration, thereby forcing the new administration to recognize Ankara’s authority in the region.

“If Turkey proceeds with its invasion, the consequences will be catastrophic,” Ahmed's letter was cited as saying, noting that such an operation could displace more than 200,000 Kurdish civilians and threaten Christian communities in the area.

The letter reportedly appealed to Trump’s prior assurances of support for the Kurdish forces, reminding him of his past promises that “the United States wouldn’t abandon the Kurds.”

“Your decisive leadership can stop this invasion and preserve the dignity and safety of those who have stood as steadfast allies in the fight for peace and security,” Ahmed's letter further read. 

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The WSJ further noted the precarious position of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group working alongside US troops to eliminate the remaining elements of the Islamic State.

With Turkish-backed forces now surrounding Kobani from the east and west, an SDF spokesperson told WSJ that cease-fire negotiations mediated by the United States collapsed earlier this week without agreement.

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Turkey in an effort to de-escalate tensions. Blinken sought assurances from Erdogan to limit operations against Kurdish forces but was unable to secure any commitments, according to the report. 

Toppling of Assad's regime

The rising threat comes after the recent collapse of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime earlier in December, which left a power vacuum and reignited conflict between the Syrian Kurds and Turkish-backed rebel factions.

Turkey has long viewed the SDF as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara designated as a terrorist organization. 

The WSJ stated the Turkish embassy in Washington declined to comment to its report.