Hindustani78
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http://www.arabnews.com/node/1228066/middle-east
BEIRUT: Syria’s main opposition group on Wednesday condemned the US-led coalition's plan to create a 30,000-strong border force on the war-torn country’s northern frontier with Turkey.
The alliance fighting Daesh announced on Sunday that it was working with Arab and Kurdish fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to establish a border security force.
The proposed force has been denounced by Damascus, while Turkey — which considers the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) “terrorists” — has vowed to nip it “in the bud.”
The exiled Syrian National Council opposition group, in a statement, condemned the “US plan for a border force” and said “it was unacceptable” for areas liberated from Daesh to fall under Kurdish control.
The Kurds have sought to remain neutral in Syria’s nearly seven-year-old war between rebels and the government.
With US backing, the YPG, the main element of the SDF, has seized swathes of territory in northern and eastern Syria from Daesh and established semi-autonomous rule in those areas.
The US-led coalition insists the border force would be responsible for stopping a resurgence of Daesh.
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Hatay Province
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1228071/middle-east
The Kurdish militia, which forms the backbone of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, now controls nearly 25 percent of Syrian territory. It is the US-led coalition’s chief ally in the campaign against Daesh in Syria.
The US-led coalition recently said it is planning a 30,000-strong Kurdish-led border force, further angering Turkey.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said he told US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that those plans were a “perilous” step that would “seriously endanger ties.” The two met in Vancouver on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Syrian activists said Turkish military activities near the borders with Afrin have continued, as well as shelling of the outskirts of the town.
Tanks amassed near the border with Syria, while Turkish media reported that medical personnel in Kilis, a Turkish town across the border from Afrin, were asked not to take leave, apparently in anticipation of military operations.
Turkey’s private Dogan News Agency quoted Turkey-backed Syrian rebels as saying they are awaiting Turkish orders to launch the Afrin operations. It said some 3,000 fighters are ready to participate in operations against Afrin and Manbij.
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Sanliurfa
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1228081/middle-east
ANKARA: Turkish troops and tanks were seen on Wednesday near the Afrin region of Syria’s northwestern border with Turkey, suggesting Ankara’s long-threatened attack on US-backed Syrian Kurds is imminent. Turkey’s top security board also convened on Wednesday, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to discuss the prospective military offensive on Afrin.
“Manbij is a buffer zone and a bridgehead where Russia and the United States have interests,” he told Arab News. “The north of Manbij is under the control of the YPG, while the southern part is held by the (Syrian President Bashar) Assad regime.”
According to Gurcan, threatening an offensive against Manbij may be Turkey’s strategy to escalate tension “in a controlled way” and to show “determination” ahead of the military operation.
“In military terms, it would be unfeasible and very tough to conduct an operation first by advancing to the west, and then turning in the opposite direction. It would be less effective because of its extended scope,” he noted.
“In Manbij, Turkey runs the risk of upsetting both Russia and the US. In that case, Ankara would have to negotiate with these two countries, and make concessions. This would further complicate the situation,” Gurcan explained.
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