US President Donald Trump called Turkey’s operation in northeastern Syria a “bad idea”, but distanced himself from the Kurds (mostly Kurdish armed groups) because they did not help the US in World War II.
“They didn’t help us in the second World War, they didn’t help us with Normandy for example,” Trump said. “They’re there to help us with their land, and that’s a different thing.”
“The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea,” Trump said in a statement.
“There are no American soldiers in the area.”
Kurdish armed groups that are the core of the US-backed forces became a target of the Turkish military operation after withdrawal of US troops from the Syrian-Turkish border. Ankara describes the Syrian Democratic Forces, the YPG, the YPJ and the PYD as terrorist organizations linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Kurds are reportedly fleeing the Syrian-Turkish border area towards US military facilities remaining in the northeastern part of Syria. It seems that even supporters of the so-called Syrian Democartic Forces do not beleive in their military might.
According to Kurdish armed groups, clashes between the Turkish Armed Forces and SDF units were ongoing in Ain Diraw and Derik last night.
On October 10, the main area of clashes was the countryside of Tell Abyad, where Turkey-led forces were reportedly gaining ground.
Statement by the General Command of Syrian Democratic Forces on Twitter.
Rojava Defense Units on Twitter says that they retaliated attacks by Turkey in Ain Diwar, Dêrik. Heavy clashes are going on in the area.