The leader of the ruling pro-Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) made assessments on the recent intensification of Turkish attacks in northern Syria, and said it was striking that every one including Russia, Western states and the Syrian government itself had remained silent after the deadly attacks.
Several Syrian troops and a Russian soldier are among the fatalities of recent Turkish attacks.
Salih Muslim also said that a fresh land offensive by the Turkish military into northern Syria would result in “Turkey’s collapse.”
Speaking to Firat News Agency, Muslim commented on the defeat suffered by the opposition in the recent elections in Turkey, saying:
“There is no case in history at which a dictator, a despotic leader was brought down through a fair election (…) This fascist government has fortified its rule by all sorts of fraud and deception, and they carry on with the policy of total destruction. Their moves in Rojava [Kurdish-majority areas in northern Syria] are part of this policy.”
Pointing out that Turkey “picks the right time for its military operations,” Muslim said:
“There will be a quadrilateral summit on 21 June in Astana. It looks like the Turkish government has wanted to display a show of strength before the summit. It wants to convey the message that it will not refrain from targeting Syrian forces and Russian forces.”
He continued:
“Russia needs Turkey. They need Turkey particularly after the West’s embargo following the war in Ukraine. This is an international issue, and the weaker side suffers more. This is the reason they are vulnerable to blackmail. We are not expecting Russians to do anything about it, and they continue to remain silent. As for the Syrian government, they won’t do anything without the consent of Russia and Iran. It’s very strking that everyone have remained silent after Turkey’s intense attacks in the region. Nine Syrian soldiers were recently killed and nobody says anything about it. The Syrian government has not even released a message of condolence.”
He added:
“Turkey neither seeks a solution to the situation in Syria, nor wants Kurds to be a part of it. They do not want Islamic State members to face justice in the courts of the autonomous administration either. That’s mainly because their complicity in crimes committed by the Islamic State will be exposed.”
Stressing that Turkey’s deadly drone strikes will not break the will of the people in northern Syria, Muslim said:
“A possible land offensive will result in Turkey’s collapse. Our forces are prepared, and our only option is resistance.”
