Turkey’s military operation in northeast Syria has increased the number of casualties, while members of the ruling Republican Party in the US House of Representatives have announced a bill to ban sanctions against Turkey.
According to Turkish news agency Anatolu, the military has confirmed the death of its first Turkish soldier, so far 11 civilian and Kurdish fighters led by the Syrian Democrat Force and dozens of Syrian supporters have been reported.
Thousands of people have left their homes and migrated to safer areas in northern Syria after attacks by Turkish forces intensified.
Turkish operations in the Syrian area began on Wednesday, and the Turkish military has recently advanced to the border town of Ras al Ain and Tel Abyes, after which aid agencies feared the number of migrants could reach millions. Is.
Remember that the Turkish president warned the EU yesterday that “if you declare our action an attack, our job will be much easier, we will open our doors and send 36 million refugees to you.”
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President Erdo ۔an also said he would not tolerate criticism of Saudi Arabia’s operation. They say, “You must first respond to the deaths in Yemen.”
Republican members of the US House of Representatives have come up with a decision to introduce a sanctions bill on Turkey at a time when US President Donald Trump has said he wants to mediate in the conflict.
Congresswoman Liz Cheney said Turkey would face “serious consequences for brutally attacking our Kurdish allies” in the region.
It is to be noted that Turkey’s military action against the Kurds began after President Trump’s decision to evacuate US troops from northeastern Syria, and the move is actually seen as a tactic to allow the attack.
Turkey calls Kurdish militias (SDFs) “terrorists” who accordingly support anti-Turkish insurgency. The SDF has been America’s key competitor in the war against the Islamic State, and has termed the United States a stubborn backlash for not stopping Turkey from taking action.
Critics say the withdrawal of US troops effectively gave Turkey the green light for cross-border attacks, which Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoغانan said was aimed at 480km along the Syrian border. Safe zone ‘.
However, fears are also being raised that the operation may not only be in line with the genocide of the Kurds, but may also lead to extremist Islamic State militias.
Turkey must face serious consequences for mercilessly attacking our Kurdish allies in northern Syria, who incurred thousands of casualties in the fight against ISIS and helped us protect the homeland. https://t.co/fPqmJryHZ4
— Rep. Liz Cheney (@RepLizCheney) October 10, 2019
What is a sanctions plan?
A group of 29 members belonging to the ruling Republican party in the House of Representatives, the Democratic majority in the United States, have announced legislation that would ban Ankara.
“If Turkey wants to be treated as allies, it has to be treated as an ally,” female member Liz Chaney wrote in a statement.
He further said that the Congress has long been concerned by the (Erdo )an) government for cooperating with US opponents such as Russia.
However, in his statement he did not talk about the withdrawal of US troops from Syria.
Congressman Jody Arrington has said that “US President Trump has made it clear that if Turkey crosses the border into Syria, he will destroy it economically and that this legislation will help the United States fulfill its promise.” Get what you need. ‘
The plan came after Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, along with Democrat Senator Chris Holden, drafted Thursday a bill that called for “strict sanctions” on Turkey.
Lindsey Graham is a big supporter of President Trump but has openly condemned the withdrawal of the US military from Syria, saying the US has left the Kurds shamefully lonely.
How has President Trump reacted?
The president defended his decision to withdraw the US military from Syria, even saying on one occasion that the Kurds had “not helped us in World War II.”
But since then they have taken a hard line in the Turkish action in Syria.
President Trump said sanctions could be imposed if Turkey’s action is not ‘humanitarian’.
An official told reporters that crossing the border meant ‘genocide, artillery use and targeting the civilian population in aerial and other ways.’
“We have not seen significant examples of this yet but it has just begun,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
He added that the president had given the diplomatic staff the task of examining “if there can be a matter between the two sides, we can find a way to ceasefire.”
President Trump said in a tweet Thursday that the United States has three routes. ‘Military victory by sending thousands of troops, strict financial sanctions on Turkey and mediation for an agreement between Turkey and the Kurds.’
Later, the US president told reporters, “I am hopeful that this will be the last option.”
What is happening in the Turkish operation in Syria?
Turkish troops besiege border towns Ras al-Ain and Tel-Abyaz in Syria, according to information received Thursday night.
Turkey’s Anatoly News Agency says 228 Kurdish fighters have been killed in operations so far. Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish president had reported this figure to 109.
Syrian Democratic Forces have described the figures given by President Erdo ۔an as exaggerated, but the exact number of casualties by the Kurds has not been reported.
The Syrian Observatory says at least 29 Kurdish fighters have been killed, while the number of Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army casualties is 17.
According to the organization, advancing forces have also seized 10 villages located between Ras al Ain and Tel Abies and the Kurds are retreating here.
Syrian Democratic Forces have said on Twitter that an attack by the Turkish army has been repelled in the east of the river Jabal, in which three military vehicles were destroyed and 22 soldiers were killed.
So far, they have confirmed reports of 11 people killed and 28 seriously injured, most of them from Ras al-Ain and the border town of Kashali, the Kurds said.
Meanwhile, five people, including a Syrian child, have been killed in a Turkish shelling by the Kurds.