US, Türkiye Clash Over Support for Kurdish Forces in Syria as Erdogan Vows to Eliminate them

A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).
A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).
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US, Türkiye Clash Over Support for Kurdish Forces in Syria as Erdogan Vows to Eliminate them

A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).
A demonstration in support of the SDF in Qamishli, Hasakah Province, opposing Turkish escalation (AFP).

Tensions between Türkiye and the United States over the handling of the Syrian Kurdish YPG (People’s Protection Units), the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have intensified, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that “terrorist organizations” in Syria will no longer find support or collaborators.

Türkiye, along with allied Syrian National Army factions, has escalated attacks on SDF positions in Manbij and Kobani (Ayn al-Arab). This comes after Ankara rejected US claims about an extension of a ceasefire between Türkiye and the SDF. Turkish forces on Friday continued shelling around Tishrin Dam in Manbij’s countryside, prompting local calls for intervention to prevent further escalation and safeguard vital infrastructure.

Escalation in Manbij and Kobani

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Turkish shelling damaged parts of the Tishrin Dam, raising fears of severe environmental and humanitarian consequences if the escalation continues. The violence began with heavy clashes between Turkish-backed factions and the Manbij Military Council forces, involving medium and heavy weaponry. The fighting triggered significant civilian displacement toward safer areas.

Support for Syria’s New Leadership

Speaking to reporters on his return from Cairo, where he attended the D-8 Summit, Erdogan stated it was time to eliminate terrorist groups in Syria, particularly ISIS, the PKK, and their affiliates like the YPG/SDF, which he claims threaten Syria’s stability.

Erdogan emphasized Türkiye’s readiness to support Syria’s new leadership in combating terrorist organizations to establish a safe and stable Syria. He expressed confidence that no power would continue to work with such groups, particularly pointing at the US, which has long supported the YPG in the fight against ISIS.

He also mentioned his country’s plans to assist Syria’s new administration in building state institutions, drafting a new constitution, and engaging in discussions, noting that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would visit Damascus soon to discuss the “new structure.”

Erdogan expressed hope for enhanced relations between Ankara and Damascus under the new leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa (Abu Mohammad al-Golani), the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

US-SDF Alliance

On the other hand, the US said that it remains committed to its alliance with the YPG as a key partner in combating ISIS. Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed there are no plans to withdraw US forces from Syria or end cooperation with the SDF. He disclosed that the US has approximately 2,000 troops in Syria, a number higher than previous estimates of 900.

Senior US diplomats met with members of Syria’s new leadership formed by HTS in the first direct and formal meeting between Washington and Syria’s new rulers after Assad’s fall.

US Presence in Syria

Henri Barkey, a political analyst, argued in The National Interest that a US withdrawal from Syria would be a significant mistake, potentially strengthening Iranian and Russian influence while increasing Türkiye’s regional sway.

As Turkish rhetoric about eliminating the YPG and PKK grows louder, SDF commander Mazloum Abdi indicated readiness to negotiate a ceasefire with Türkiye, including the withdrawal of foreign fighters from Syria if a truce is reached.

SDF-Türkiye Agreement

Abdi’s remarks to Reuters came after a Turkish Defense Ministry official denied any ceasefire agreement with the SDF or its US backers. The official dismissed recent US statements as a “slip of the tongue,” asserting Türkiye would not negotiate with terrorist organizations.

The official stressed that the threats from northern Syria persist, and Türkiye will continue its preparations and measures until the YPG disarms and foreign fighters leave Syria. He expressed confidence that Türkiye-backed factions would eliminate the YPG presence in Syria.

Western Concerns

Western allies, including Germany, have expressed concern over Türkiye’s actions in northern Syria. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking before talks with her Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, urged Ankara to contribute to Syria’s stability and protect minorities.

Baerbock highlighted fears of a large Turkish offensive in Kobani and warned that peace in Syria remains elusive, with the country’s future hanging by a thread.



Hamas Says It Is Investigating Possible Error over Hostage Body

 20 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinian Hamas members carry one of the four coffins during the handover of the bodies of four Israeli hostages, killed in the Israeli war on Gaza, to the Red Cross in Khan Younis. (dpa)
20 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinian Hamas members carry one of the four coffins during the handover of the bodies of four Israeli hostages, killed in the Israeli war on Gaza, to the Red Cross in Khan Younis. (dpa)
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Hamas Says It Is Investigating Possible Error over Hostage Body

 20 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinian Hamas members carry one of the four coffins during the handover of the bodies of four Israeli hostages, killed in the Israeli war on Gaza, to the Red Cross in Khan Younis. (dpa)
20 February 2025, Palestinian Territories, Khan Younis: Palestinian Hamas members carry one of the four coffins during the handover of the bodies of four Israeli hostages, killed in the Israeli war on Gaza, to the Red Cross in Khan Younis. (dpa)

Hamas said on Friday it was investigating a possible error in identifying human remains handed to Israel under a ceasefire deal as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened retaliation for failing to release the body of hostage Shiri Bibas.

Hamas was due to hand over the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two sons Kfir and Ariel on Thursday, along with the remains of a fourth hostage under the ceasefire deal that has halted fighting in Gaza since last month.

Four bodies were delivered and the identities of the Bibas boys and the other hostage, Oded Lifshitz, were confirmed.

But Israeli specialists said the fourth body was that of an unidentified woman and not Bibas, who was kidnapped along with her sons and her husband, Yarden, during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said "unfortunate mistakes" could occur, especially as Israeli bombing had mixed the bodies of Israeli hostages and Palestinians, thousands of whom were still buried in the rubble.

"We confirm that it is not in our values or our interest to keep any bodies or not to abide by the covenants and agreements that we sign," he said in a statement.

Hamas said separately that it would investigate the Israeli assertions and announce the results.

The failure to hand over the body and the staged public handover of the four coffins on Thursday, caused outrage in Israel and drew a threat of retaliation from Netanyahu.

"We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages - both living and dead - and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement," he said in a video statement, accusing Hamas of acting "in an unspeakably cynical manner" by placing the body of a Gaza woman in the coffin instead of Bibas.

Hamas said in November 2023 that the children and their mother had been killed in an Israeli air strike and Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, said Netanyahu "bears full responsibility for killing her and her children."

But the Israeli military said intelligence assessments and forensic analysis of the bodies of the Bibas children indicated that they were deliberately killed by their captors. Chief military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the boys were killed by the militants "with their bare hands", but gave no details.

Netanyahu gave no details of a possible Israeli response, but the incident underscored the fragility of the ceasefire agreement reached with US backing and with the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators last month.

SATURDAY EXCHANGE

Six living hostages are due for release on Saturday in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, according to Hamas, and the start of negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire is expected in the coming days.

"Hamas must return the hostages as agreed in the ceasefire- the living and the deceased," Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said in a statement on social media platform X. "They have to bring Shiri back, and they have to release the 6 living hostages expected tomorrow."

Netanyahu's office confirmed it had been officially informed of the names of the six hostages to be released, which Hamas sources said was expected at around 8.30 a.m. (0630 GMT).

As the tension over the Gaza ceasefire rose, Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to intensify operations in another Palestinian territory, the occupied West Bank, after a number of explosions blew up buses standing empty in their depots near Tel Aviv.

No casualties were reported but the explosions were a reminder of the campaign of suicide attacks on public transport that killed hundreds of Israeli civilians during the Second Intifada in the early 2000s.

'THEY MAKE A JOKE OF US'

Both sides have repeatedly accused the other of ceasefire violations, with Hamas threatening to delay the release of hostages over what it said was Israel's refusal to allow housing materials and other aid into Gaza, a charge Israel denied.

"It's like they make a joke of us," said 75-year-old Ilana Caspi. "We are so in grief and this is even more, it's like you make a punch again, another one and another one, it's really terrible."

The Red Cross told Reuters it was "concerned and unsatisfied" by the fact that the handover of the bodies had not been conducted privately and in a dignified manner.

Despite the outrage over Shiri Bibas, there was no indication that Israel would not take part in talks over a second phase of the ceasefire deal.

The Israel Hayom newspaper reported that Israeli negotiators were considering seeking an extension of the 42-day ceasefire, to delay moving to a second phase, which would involve talks over hard-to-resolve issues including an end to the war and the future of Hamas in Gaza.