Washington has advised the leaders of Syrian opposition factions not to join the Turkish Army in an operation it intends to launch against Kurdish fighters east of the Euphrates River.
A letter sent by US diplomats to the Syrian opposition, a copy of which was obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday, says: “We urge all factions of the Free Army not to participate in any operation east of the Euphrates River. We don’t want Turkey to launch operations … and we believe that only dialogue resolves (Turkish) security concerns in the border” area.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Wednesday that a new operation against the US-backed Kurds will be launched “within a few days to free east of the Euphrates from the separatist terrorist organization.”
A few hours after the announcement, Ankara sent more forces and military vehicles to areas near the Syrian border, despite a warning from Washington that any unilateral military action in Syria would be "unacceptable.”
The Turkish announcement came as Washington establishes observation posts along the Syrian-Turkish border, an area controlled by the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).
Separately, sources said that Moscow, Ankara and Tehran have reached a final agreement with Damascus on the list of the constitutional committee for Syria, which the three states expect to present to UN Envoy Staffan de Mistura.
Moscow intensified contacts with Ankara and Tehran, its allies in the Astana Process, and with Damascus to solve the problem on the formation of the committee.
In case Moscow succeeds in reaching a deal with the Syrian regime, a meeting of high-ranking officials from Russia, Turkey and Iran would be held in Geneva on Monday to hand over the list of the committee to de Mistura.
Meanwhile, Ankara said a Turkish soldier was killed in the northern Syrian region of Afrin after coming under fire from Kurdish fighters.
The Turkish defense ministry said the soldier was shot by YPG members from the nearby city of Tal Rifaat, east of Afrin.
