Defense Secretary Marks Esper said the U.S.-Kurdish alliance 'has been a longstanding concern, a thorn in the side of Turkey, and I guess they finally decided it was time to act.'
The U.S. military has laid out the many reasons why Turkey had wanted to go ahead with a planned incursion targeting Pentagon-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria, but ultimately struggled to explain why they chose to do so.
Esper said the U.S. and Turkish armed forces had been coordinating in trying to establish a"security zone" to appease all parties. He added,"I can't explain why they did what they did, but clearly President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan felt the need at this point in time. As I said earlier, since the beginning of this relationship between the U.S.
Around the same time as the U.S. allied with the Syrian Democratic Forces, Russia intervened in Syria on behalf of the government, which had already been receiving support from Iran and allied militias from across the region. Moscow's entrance helped to boost the embattled Syrian military and reversed gains made by ISIS and other jihadi and rebel groups.
Turkey—which went on to join Russia and Iran for trilateral peace talks—repeatedly threatened to move in unilaterally and, after another call Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, the White House announced U.S. troops would"no longer be in the immediate area" as Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels stormed the border regions. While Trump initially signaled support for the operation, the Pentagon condemned it and the president then appeared to temper his stance.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Turkey launches offensive against Kurds in Syria, Trump calls it a 'bad idea'President Donald Trump called the operation in northeast Syria a 'bad idea' after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Twitter that operations had begun.
Read more »
After Trump decision, Turkey launches military offensive in SyriaTurkey launched airstrikes in northeastern Syria on Wednesday, prompting panic among civilians in the region and despair among fighters who have been crucial U.S. allies in the campaign against ISIS. President Donald Trump’s sudden decision to pull troops has drawn rebukes from both parties in Congress. The decision has renewed focus on Trump and his family's long business ties in and with Turkey.
Read more »
Turkey pushes deeper into Syria as U.S. draws red linesOn the Turkish side of the border, in the town of Akçakale the streets were mostly empty Friday after officials told locals to stay indoors or to relocate.
Read more »
Turkey begins offensive against Kurdish fighters in SyriaTurkey launches airstrikes, fires artillery and begins a ground offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria after U.S. troops pulled back from the area, paving the way for an assault on forces that have long been allied with the United States.
Read more »
Pentagon urges Turkey to halt incursion into SyriaAn "impulsive" decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to invade northern Syria will further destabilize a region already caught up in civil war and puts America&39;s Syrian Kurdish partners "in harm&39;s way," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday. Washington is
Read more »