Ankara: Potential ground intervention in Syria to prevent establishment of Kurdish entity

Turkish sources have confirmed that Ankara will confront any attempts to establish a separate entity in north Syria that separates Turkey from its Syrian neighbours, criticising the United States for supporting the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).

Turkey considered the PYD crossing west of the Euphrates River a red line and a threat to Turkish national security, according to London’s Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

Sources from the Turkish government also stated that Turkey reserves its right to defend its national security and has hinted at bilateral measures it would take in order to prevent the establishment of a separate entity in north Syria.

The sources noted that these measures include a ground intervention that may occur in order to prevent the separate entity being formed.

Ankara claims the PYD is linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).