While Ankara's strategic partner US can not get itself from the cooperation of the PKK's Syrian arm the PYD, the support given by the top US commanders to the PYD became more and more popular every day. Following the announcement of Us that the PYD will take part in the operation of the Raqqah, the Manbij showdown came from Turkey. Foreign Minister Cavusoglu explained that if they(PYD) did not leave Manbij, they would hit PYD.
HARD RESPONSE FROM ÇAVUŞOĞLU
While Turkey is rapidly campaigning in the referendum process, very important developments are taking place in Syria. Ankara's strategic partner the US does not give up on PKK's Syrian army the PYD. Not satisfied with that, the USA is giving the support to the PYD in every opportunity. General Stephen Townsend, the top commander of the US army in Iraq, announced that PYD / YPG would definitely take place in the Raqqah operation. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu explained that if they do not leave the Manbij, they would hit PYD.
We told that we will hit PYD
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said, "If YPG is not withdrawn from here (Manbij), we have already said that we will shoot YPG." Of course this is not a new thing. How can we carry out the US and Raqqah operation now and how can we support the forces? We, as special forces, have not only the US and Turkey but also the countries that are in the coalition on the ground like Germany, France, England. How can it be supported from the air? We are seeing them," he said.
Asked about the possibility of the confrontation between Turkey and the US, Çavuşoğlu stated that there is no such danger, saying "This is not the territory of the USA. Why we come face to face with US troops," he said.
Cavusoglu used the following expressions:
"The purpose here is to clear the place and deliver it to its real owners with the operation of Manbij. If the US chooses YPG as an ally, then we know that there is no other but such an understanding if it touches me touching them. That's why our struggle with YPG or another terrorist organization should not confront us with the US. We do not want any alliances to stand beside the terrorist organizations."
US SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING THEM
The US Special Forces in Manbij under the control of PYD / YPG are also continuing their training activities here. Shares made from official accounts of the US reveal this fact.
It is also known that the US has massed the region against the possible operation of Turkey. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reminded us of the US withdrawal promises, "After El Bab, we will go to Manbij. We know that the US troops are in that area. We ask for the withdrawal of the YPG from Manbij. If they do not withdraw, we have already said we will hit them. Our struggle with YPG or another terrorist organization should not confront us with the United States. We do not want any alliances to stand beside terrorist organizations," he said.
PYD'S SPOKESMAN IS US COMMANDER
General Stephen Townsend, the top commander of the US army in Iraq, said that Turkey was seeing its participation in the operation to take the right of Raqqah to the operation, and that PYD / YPG would somehow participate in the operation. Townsend said, "I have not seen any evidence from the north of Syria in the last 2 years that there is a threat to Turkey or that the attacks are supported."
Townsend, who attended the daily press conference in the US Defense Ministry (Pentagon) via a teleconference from Baghdad, said, "We observe the Democratic Forces of Syria and we are operating together," Townsend said in response to a question on the issue: "40 percent of them are YPG Kurds, 60 percent of the Syrian Arab Coalition constitutes. As for the YPG warriors, I talked with their leaders, watched their operations, gave us the assurance that they did not intend to attack Turkey constantly (!) And that they did not pose a threat to Turkey. In fact, they want to have a good relationship with Turkey. In the past two years I have not seen any evidence that they constitute a threat to Turkey or support any attack against North Syria from Turkey."
RAQQAH OPERATION AND YPG
"The fact is that Rakka is a region with diverse ethnic backgrounds and there are Kurds in it," Townsend said, adding that YPG terrorists would join the operations to capture Raqqah. I do not think that the population structure of the city will be changed by Kurds, Turkmens or any other group that participates in the operation," he said. Townsend, who claims that the demographic structure of Rakka can not be changed by the Kurds or Turkmens involved in the operation, also discusses Turkey's involvement in the Raqqah operation, saying, "We are negotiating how the Turks can play a role in Raqqah's rescue; I do not know what the numbers of participation in this operation will be for now."
IF NEEDED ADDITIONAL WEAPONS TO BE SUPPLIED
The question of whether the SDY, led by the PYD / PKK, is the capacity to take Raqqah, the American general responded: "Iraqis have modern protection equipment, armored vehicles, tanks, combat planes, helicopters and They seeing difficulty in taking Mosul. When you adapt this situation to Raqqah, the SDG is usually irregular light pedestrian units with guns mounted behind a pick-up. There are very few heavy weapons. So when we compare the two forces, SDG will probably need additional combat power to attack Rakka, a city that is not so easy."
LEAVE THE MANBIJ
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a statement on Raqqah while returning from Pakistan "In our opinion, DSG should not be in this business. It is never possible for us to see such a structure that constitutes the armed and political footstep of the terrorist organization. It can not be. They have to leave the Manbij. Because the Manbij is not related to them. Manbij is belongs to the Arabs." he said.