Turkey and Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) militants have prepared to strike the symbolic Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria after rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this month. They first moved against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) by attacking the northwestern Shahba region, taking Tal Rifaat and Manbij.
The US brokered a four-day ceasefire between the SDF and Turkey last week, which a State Department spokesperson said was extended on Tuesday.
US Senators Lindsey Graham and Chris Van Hollen, of the Republican and Democratic parties respectively, spoke to SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi on Tuesday, stressing that Washington “cannot sit idly by” and watch its Kurdish allies be attacked.
“The United States must immediately use all the tools at our disposal to press for a sustained ceasefire and a demilitarized zone. If Turkey does not accept those terms, we tend to introduce bipartisan sanctions legislation this week,” a joint statement from both senators said.
“While Turkey has some legitimate security concerns that can be addressed, these developments are undermining regional security,” the statement added.
The ceasefire extension came amid a proposal by Abdi for a demilitarized zone in Kobane under US supervision, an initiative he said “aims to address Turkish security concerns and ensure the long-term stability of the region.”
Turkey considers the SDF and its main fighting force, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), as the Syrian front for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - designated as a terrorist group by Ankara.
Earlier in December, Senator Graham said that Turkish attacks present a great risk of jailbreak to tens of thousands of Islamic State (ISIS) prisoners held in northeast Syria (Rojava), urging protection of Kurdish forces from Turkey.
