SDF leader says group most loyal US ally in Syria: WashPo

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The Commander of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, wrote an article in The Washington Post talking about the cooperation between the SDF and the US-led global coalition against Syria - a partnership that has been in place for nearly a decade.

According to Abdi, all of the "gain" made by the SDF under cooperation with the US occupation forces is now "under threat".

The commander claimed that in cooperation with the United States, his town gained a worldwide reputation due to "deal[ing] the Islamic State its first major defeat", further alleging that the alliances made in Syria led to the end of the ISIS caliphate in the country in 2019.

The "gains" were under threat, Abadi said, not due to ISIS or another terrorist organization, but rather due to a US ally and NATO member, Turkey, citing its operation on its borders with Syria.

According to the US-backed SDF leader, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's threat to launch a land operation in SDF-controlled regions would have serious repercussions, noting that Ankara had already done that twice before.

"As a pretext for war, Erdogan has accused our forces of involvement in a deadly bombing in Istanbul," he wrote in The Washington Post.

The explosion in question hit Istiklal Street in Taksim Square in Istanbul, a vital area in the major Turkish city. The blast claimed the lives of eight and wounded more than 80 others.

Istiklal Street, located in the historical neighborhood of Beyoglu, is one of the most famous streets in Istanbul, extending for about one and a half kilometers, and is entirely dedicated to pedestrians. An old tram runs through it and is lined with shops and restaurants.

The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, had confirmed that the perpetrators of the terrorist bombing will receive the appropriate punishment, stressing that the terrorist organizations' attempt to attack Turkey will fail.

Abadi called for an investigation to take place to determine the perpetrators of the attack, asserting that his group was ready to help Ankara if a probe were to be opened into the incident, deploring the act of terror and dismissing all the accusations stemming from Turkey about SDF's involvement.

According to the prominent Kurdish figure, Kurds and Turks do not have "inherent hatred" between them, accusing Turkish leaders of making a politically-rooted decision to paint the Kurdish people as a security threat "and deny us our fundamental democratic rights."

Abadi concluded his piece by calling on the international community to act toward preventing Turkey from carrying out a land invasion "and to promote a political solution to the Kurdish conflict".

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced last month that Turkey had launched the "Operation Claw-Sword" offensive with airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria.

It is noteworthy that the US Department of Defense had expressed concern over the recent uptick in military activity in northern Syria, Iraq, and Turkey, citing the danger they pose to efforts to defeat ISIS.

In the same context, Russia has asked Turkey to refrain from a full-scale ground offensive in Syria, senior Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev said earlier, because such actions could trigger an escalation of violence.