Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hinted a possible ground offensive in northern Syria and Iraq, after Ankara’s military began cross-border air raids on what they said were positions used by Kurdish militants blamed for a bombing in central Istanbul.
The rising tensions have sparked global worry, with Russia and the United States asking Ankara to exercise restraint on Monday.
Speaking to reporters on a flight home from Qatar after attending the opening of the World Cup, Erdogan said Turkey’s ongoing military campaign in northern Syria and northern Iraq “is not limited to just an air operation” and could involve ground forces.
“Competent authorities, our defence ministry and chief of staff will together decide the level of force that should be used by our ground forces,” he said. “We make our consultations and then we take our steps accordingly.”
The Turkish operation, nicknamed Claw Sword, began on Sunday, a week after a bombing on Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue killed six people and injured 81 others.
Ankara accused the November 13 attack on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and allied Syrian Kurdish factions, however Kurdish forces denied any involvement.
According to the Turkish defense ministry, Claw Sword killed 184 combatants and destroyed 89 targets including shelters, bunkers, caverns, and tunnels.
Meanwhile, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported rocket fire from Syria, with two persons killed on Monday when missiles hit the Turkish border district of Karkamis.
The US – which relied mostly on Kurdish militia forces to defeat the ISIL (ISIS) group in Syria – called for a de-escalation.
“The United States expresses its heartfelt condolences for the loss of civilian lives in Syria and Turkey,” said Ned Price, the State Department spokesman.
“We urge de-escalation in Syria to protect civilian life and support the common goal of defeating ISIS. We continue to oppose any uncoordinated military action in Iraq that violates Iraq’s sovereignty,” he said.
Russia has also urged Turkey to refrain from using “excessive” military force.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, told reporters that Turkey had not informed Moscow in advance of any raids on its neighbors.
Lavrentyev stated in Kazakh capital, which is hosting a tripartite summit on Syria between Russia, Turkey, and Iran, that he aimed to “convince our Turkish colleagues to refrain from resorting to excessive use of force on Syrian soil.”
“Russia has for months … done everything possible to prevent any large-scale ground operation,” he added.
For months, Erdogan has pledged a fresh large-scale military action against PKK-affiliated militants in northern Syria, but Russia, Iran, and many Western countries have cautioned against the plans.
Turkey has already conducted ground military operations in Syria, focusing on areas directly across the border, and has conquered large swaths of land.
The Turkish government believes a so-called “safe zone” along the Syrian side of the border is necessary to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees it is hosting, as well as stop groups Ankara considers to be affiliates of the PKK, such as the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces
Aljazeera