Russia asks Turkey to contain itself so as not to destabilize the situation in Syria

Russia on Tuesday made several appeals to Turkey, with whom it maintains an acceptable relationship despite opposing interests, to "not destabilize the situation" in northern Syria, where Ankara has been carrying out air strikes against Kurdish militias since the weekend.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
22 November 2022 Tuesday 17:30
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Russia asks Turkey to contain itself so as not to destabilize the situation in Syria

Russia on Tuesday made several appeals to Turkey, with whom it maintains an acceptable relationship despite opposing interests, to "not destabilize the situation" in northern Syria, where Ankara has been carrying out air strikes against Kurdish militias since the weekend. in retaliation for the bomb attack on November 13 in Istanbul.

Moscow thus joined other countries, such as the United States and Germany, which asked Ankara for a proportionate and sensitive response with the civilian population. Meanwhile, Turkish artillery continued to shell Kurdish bases and other targets near Tal Rifaat and Kobane yesterday, Syrian sources told Reuters.

First the special representative of the Russian president for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, and then the Kremlin spokesman, Dimitri Peskov, asked Turkey for containment yesterday.

Peskov explained that although there are disagreements between Moscow and Ankara regarding the conflict in Syria, Russia understands the security concerns of the Turkish authorities. Russia supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a war that has lasted 11 years. Turkey, for its part, backs rebel forces that want to overthrow him.

“We understand Turkey's concern about its own security. But at the same time, we appeal to all parties to avoid any initiative that could lead to a serious destabilization of the global situation," Peskov said.

Hours earlier, Lavrentiev said that Moscow will ask Turkey for "some restraint" "to avoid an escalation of tension, not only in the north, but throughout the territory of Syria."

The Russian official was in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, where he was due to attend a tripartite meeting between Russia, Turkey and Iran on the Syrian war. Lavrentiev assured that it is necessary to work together with all parties to the conflict to resolve the accumulated problems in the region, including the Kurdish issue.

On November 13, an explosion occurred on Istiklal Avenue, in the center of Istanbul, which left six dead and 81 injured. The Turkish authorities accused the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) of the attack, although the organization denied being involved in the attack.

According to the Turkish police, the attack was perpetrated by a Syrian citizen, who acknowledged ties to the PKK.

In retaliation, the Turkish air force last weekend bombed towns under PKK control in northern Syria and Iraq, where the PKK is known as the YPG (People's Protection Units). Turkish officials claimed that 89 targets were destroyed and many military personnel were killed. The dead were 29, according to Kurdish sources.

The attacks also hit Syrian military positions in provinces close to the Turkish border, killing and wounding an unknown number of Damascus soldiers.

On Sunday night and Monday, the Kurdish guerrillas responded from the Syrian side of the border, launching projectiles into Turkish territory and causing at least three deaths and 10 wounded in the town of Karkamis.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assured on Monday that the operation will not be limited to airstrikes. And yesterday he reiterated it. “We have pressured the terrorists for several days with our planes and cannons. God willing, we will take them all out as soon as possible with our tanks and our soldiers,” he said in a speech.

In a parliamentary commission, the Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar, asked the US and other countries not to support the YPG, reports AP. The United States, the European Union and Turkey consider the PKK a terrorist group, but not the YPG, which is part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, allied with Washington in its fight against the Islamic State in Syria. Ankara maintains that the YPG is an extension of the PKK.