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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).
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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.

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Israel’s Retaliatory Responses to Houthis Must Begin by Drawing Intelligence Plan

A person inspects damage at the site where a projectile fired from Yemen landed in Tel Aviv on December 21, 2024 (EPA)
A person inspects damage at the site where a projectile fired from Yemen landed in Tel Aviv on December 21, 2024 (EPA)
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Israel’s Retaliatory Responses to Houthis Must Begin by Drawing Intelligence Plan

A person inspects damage at the site where a projectile fired from Yemen landed in Tel Aviv on December 21, 2024 (EPA)
A person inspects damage at the site where a projectile fired from Yemen landed in Tel Aviv on December 21, 2024 (EPA)

Israel is considering options to respond to repeated attacks fired from Yemen in the past few days, the latest of which was a Houthi missile strike that injured more than a dozen people in Tel Aviv.
But military experts say Israel should first consider an intelligence plan for confronting the new front after it faced significant difficulties in both defending against and responding to the Houthi attacks.
On Saturday morning, Houthis launched a missile that triggered sirens throughout central Israel at 3:44 am. It was the second attack since Thursday.
Israel's military said the projectile landed in Tel Aviv's southern Jaffa area, adding that attempts to intercept a missile from Yemen failed.
“The incident is still being thoroughly investigated,” the army said, adding that following initial investigations by the Israeli Air Force and Home Front Command, “some of the conclusions have already been implemented, both regarding interception and early warning.”
Israeli military experts say the recent Houthi attacks have revealed serious security gaps in Israel's air defense systems.
“The pressing question now is why none of the other of Israel’s air defense layers managed to intercept the warhead,” wrote Yedioth Ahronoth's Ron Ben-Yishai. “The likely explanation is the late detection and the flat trajectory, which prevented the operation of all available defense apparatus.”
He said these incidents might expose a critical vulnerability in the army’s air defense system protecting Israel’s civilian and military home front.
According to Ben-Yishai, two main reasons might explain Saturday’s interception failure.
The first is that the missile was launched in a “flattened” ballistic trajectory, possibly from an unexpected direction.
As a result, Israeli defenses may not have identified it in time, leading to its late discovery and insufficient time for interceptors to operate.
He said the second, and more likely scenario is that Iran has developed a maneuverable warhead.
Such a warhead separates from the missile during the final third of its trajectory and maneuvers mid-flight—executing pre-programmed course changes—to hit its designated target, he wrote.
And while Israel has launched initial investigations into the failure of Israeli defense systems to intercept the missiles, it is now examining the nature, date and location of its response.
When Houthis launched their first missile attack on Israel last Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned them, saying, “The Houthis will learn the hard way.”
But Israeli political analyst Avi Ashkenazi wrote in the Maariv newspaper that Israel should look at reality with open eyes and say out loud that it cannot deal with the Houthi threat from Yemen, and has failed to face them.
Last Thursday, 14 Israeli Air Force fighter jets, alongside refuelers and spy planes, flew some 2,000 kilometers and dropped over 60 munitions on Houthi “military targets” along Yemen’s western coast and near the capital Sanaa.
The targets included fuel and oil depots, two power stations, and eight tugboats used at the Houthi-controlled ports.
But the Maariv newspaper warned about the increasing involvement of Iran in supporting the Houthi forces.
“Iran has invested more in the Houthis in recent weeks following the collapse of the Shiite axis, making the Houthi movement a leader of this axis,” the newspaper noted.
Underscoring the failures of Israel’s air defense systems, Maariv said the “Arrow” missile defense system, Israel's main line of defense against ballistic missiles, had failed four times in a row to intercept missiles, including three launched from Yemen and one from Lebanon.
Yedioth Ahronoth's Ben-Yishai also warned that the threat posed by maneuvering warheads on Iran's heavy, long-range missiles would become existential for Israel should Iran succeed in developing nuclear warheads for these missiles.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 12 said that in recent months, the Middle East has changed beyond recognition.
The channel said that for the first time in more than half a century, a direct and threat-free air corridor has been opened to Iran through the Middle East. Israel will benefit from this corridor to launch almost daily attacks on the border crossings between Syria and Lebanon, it said.
Channel 12 also reported that according to the Israeli military, the new threat-free corridor will help Israel launch a future attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
“From Israel's perspective, the fall of the Assad regime and the collapse of the Iranian ring of fire are changing the balance of power in the Middle East,” the report added.