Turkey is increasing its military presence along the border with Syria, raising serious concerns in the United States.
According to information provided by senior American officials to The Wall Street Journal, the forces concentrated east of the city of Ain al-Arab include rebel fighters, Turkish commandos, and a significant amount of artillery.
American sources report that preparations for the operation began shortly after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Turkey's military actions are reminiscent of those that occurred in 2019 before the onset of the offensive in northeastern Syria. U.S. officials are urging Ankara to exercise restraint, but the situation leaves little room for optimism. Amid Turkey's military buildup, on December 16, Ilham Ahmed, a representative of the Syrian Kurdish civil administration, appealed to the new U.S. President Donald Trump to take steps to deter Erdoğan.
"Turkey's goal is to establish de facto control over our land before you take office, forcing you to engage with them as the rulers of our territory. If Turkey continues its invasion, the consequences will be catastrophic," Ahmed wrote.
Negotiations for a ceasefire between the Syrian Kurds and Turkey-backed rebels, mediated by the U.S., have yielded no results. According to a representative of the Syrian Democratic Forces, there is currently a significant increase in military presence in the east and west of Ain al-Arab.
"On the other side of the border, we are already seeing Turkish troops advancing, and our civilians are living under constant fear of imminent death and destruction," Ahmed noted in his letter to Trump.
Source: wsj.