Erdogan emphasizes threat from Syrian Kurds

Semih Idiz reports this week on “a slew of reports in the media indicating that the Turkish military acting on orders from the government had prepared contingency plans to enter Syria and establish a buffer zone along the Turkish border 100 kilometers (62 miles) long and 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) wide.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has intensified his campaign for a buffer zone since Syrian Kurdish and rebel forces defeated the Islamic State (IS) in Tell Abyad on June 15. He warned June 27, “We will never allow a state to be established in northern Syria and in the south of our country. No matter what the cost, we will continue our struggle in this regard.”

The US-led coalition backed the ground campaign by Syrian Kurdish and rebel groups against IS with airstrikes. Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said June 16 that the liberation of Tell Abyad from IS was “a great example of the combination of airpower — devastating airpower — along with seasoned, trained and capable ground forces."