A top Syrian Kurdish official has revealed that US military officials and US-led Coalition commanders held extended talks on Thursday after Ankara and Washington agreed to establish a joint operations center to coordinate and manage a planned safe zone in northeast Syria.
Turkish and US officials agreed this week to establish the center to manage tensions between Ankara and US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria.
“US officials confirmed to us their keenness on sparing the area any fighting and to contain the Turkish threats. All parties agree that a Turkish attack would allow ISIS to revive,” leader of the Kurdish Movement for a Democratic Society Aldar Khalil told Asharq Al-Awsat.
For the past months, Turkey has been threatening to launch an attack on Syrian Kurdish-controlled areas near its border. And in recent weeks, Turkish media have repeatedly shown images of military convoys heading for the border area, carrying equipment and fighting units.
So, Turkish and US officials agreed to establish a joint operations center to contain tension.
The Kurdish leader expressed satisfaction with the Turkish-US announcement. “We hope that dialogue would pave the way for solving all disputes. However, the US has not yet offered any details about the agreement.”
Khalil revealed that the Ankara-Washington deal is the outcome of the absence of any intra-Syrian dialogue. “Turkey currently controls al-Bab, Jarablous, Aazaz and Afrin, but wants to expand its authority to revive the glories of the Ottoman Empire,” he said.
Khalil told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kurdish administration is keen on keeping northeastern Syrian under the sovereignty of the Damascus regime.
“Two years ago, we launched serious talks with the Syrian government, but the discussions have stalled. Had we reached an agreement, the area wouldn’t have been subjected to Turkish treats. and regional and international interference,” he said.
