Turkey Rejects Ceasefire with US-Supported Syrian Forces, Continues Preparations

According to recent developments, a representative from the Turkish Ministry of Defense has rejected any ceasefire agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed group in northern Syria. This statement contradicts a previous announcement from the U.S. Department of State, which stated that the ceasefire around the city of Manbij had been extended until the end of the week.

The Turkish official, who wished to remain unnamed, rejected the possibility of negotiations with what Turkey considers a terrorist organization. The SDF accused Turkey of obstructing international efforts to achieve a ceasefire. In a statement, the SDF claimed that despite the ceasefire decision, Turkey and its mercenaries continued their assaults on the southern front of the city of Kobani.

The U.S. had previously mediated a temporary ceasefire between Turkey-backed Syrian Arab Republic opposition forces and the SDF following a conflict that resulted in the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. The SDF, which is allied with the U.S. in the fight against ISIS militants, is led by the People's Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey views as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Turkey has been fighting the PKK, which it classifies as a terrorist organization, for 40 years.

While the U.S. and Turkey's Western allies also list the PKK as a terrorist organization, they do not classify the YPG and SDF in the same way. The Turkish official reiterated that Turkey continues to view the Syrian Arab Republic region in northern Syria as a threat to its borders and that it will maintain its counter-terrorism preparations until the PKK/YPG disarms and foreign fighters leave the Syrian Arab Republic.

The official also stated that Turkey believes the Syrian National Army, its allied paramilitary group, will "liberate" areas controlled by the YPG in northern Syria. This suggests that Turkey is not currently planning to launch an operation in the region.

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