Washington: US President Donald Trump has threatened to “devastate” Turkey economically if the NATO-allied nation attacks US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria following a pullout of American troops from the war-torn country, in a stern warning rejected by Ankara saying it will continue to fight the “terrorists”. Last month, President Trump surprised the world by announcing he is withdrawing 2000 American troops from Syria. The pullout began last week.
The US troop withdrawal has left America’s Kurdish allies vulnerable to an attack from Turkey. Ankara views the Kurdish forces as terrorists aligned with insurgents inside Turkey. “Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions. Will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms,” the President said in a tweet on Sunday. “Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds. Create 20-mile safe zone…. Likewise, do not want the Kurds to provoke Turkey,” Trump said in a hard-hitting tweet.
Trump’s tweet is a stark threat toward an ally in the region that has partnered with the US in the fight against ISIS. In a sharp response, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said there was “no difference” between the Islamic State extremist group and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia. “Mr Donald Trump, Terrorists can’t be your partners & allies. Turkey expects the US to honour our strategic partnership and doesn’t want it to be shadowed by terrorist propaganda. There is no difference between DAESH, PKK, PYD and YPG. We will continue to fight against them all,” Kalin said in a tweet.
“Mr Donald Trump, it is a fatal mistake to equate Syrian Kurds with the PKK, which is on the US terrorists list, and its Syria branch PYD/YPG. Turkey fights against terrorists, not Kurds. We will protect Kurds and other Syrians against all terrorist threats,” he said. Trump also warned ISIS America would hit them hard from nearby military bases if it regains momentum. Last week, Turkish President Erdogan hit out at US National Security Adviser John Bolton for saying the US withdrawal was contingent upon Turkey’s pledge not to attack US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria once troops leave.
“Bolton made a serious mistake. If he thinks that way, he is in a big mistake. We will not compromise,” Erdogan said. The Pentagon has said there is no timeline for US troop withdrawal and it would be based on ground realties. “Russia, Iran and Syria have been the biggest beneficiaries of the long-term US policy of destroying ISIS in Syria — natural enemies. We also benefit but it is now time to bring our troops back home. Stop the ENDLESS WARS!” Trump said.
