US working to prevent Turkiye offensive in Syria

Published January 9, 2025
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks after meeting with the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris, on January 8, 2025. — AFP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks after meeting with the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris, on January 8, 2025. — AFP

PARIS: The United States is working to address Turkiye’s concerns in Syria to dissuade the Nato ally from escalating an offensive against Kurdish fighters, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

Blinken said that Turkiye had “legitimate concerns” about PKK militants inside Syria and, following the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, called for a resolution in the country that includes the departure of “foreign terrorist fighters”.

“That’s a process that’s going to take some time, and in the meantime, what is profoundly not in the interest of everything positive we see happening in Syria would be a conflict, and we’ll work very hard to make sure that that doesn’t happen,” Blinken told reporters in Paris.

Turkiye has threatened an offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces to eliminate PKK militants. The Kurdish-led SDF has been working with the United States for the past decade to fight the militant Islamic State group.

Blinken said he expected the incoming administration of Donald Trump also to show a “very strong interest” in ensuring that the IS does not “rear its ugly head again”. “A critical part of that is making sure that we enable the Syrian Democratic Forces to do the job that they’ve been doing,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2025

Opinion

Editorial

Going dry
Updated 07 Apr, 2025

Going dry

Authorities should refrain from undertaking any water scheme that infringes on rights of any federating unit to avoid more controversies.
Afghan return
07 Apr, 2025

Afghan return

AS expected, the government of Pakistan is moving ahead with its plan to forcibly repatriate Afghan Citizenship Card...
Hurting women
07 Apr, 2025

Hurting women

MONTH after month, the figures of crimes against women in the country indicate that our society is close to...
Not cricket
Updated 06 Apr, 2025

Not cricket

It is high time that the PCB sets things right; even if it demands a complete overhaul of the system.
Balochistan deadlock
Updated 06 Apr, 2025

Balochistan deadlock

Akhtar Mengal’s demands to release women activists should seriously be considered.
Escalating brutality
Updated 06 Apr, 2025

Escalating brutality

The world’s patience is running out. Israel must be held accountable under international law for war crimes.