UN envoy urges Turkey, armed opposition, SDF to de-escalate in Syria

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Nov 2022 19:02

Geir Pederson called on all parties involved to abide to the ceasefire.

People inspect a site damaged by Turkish airstrikes that hit an electricity station in the village of Taql Baql, in Hasakeh province, Syria, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 (AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad, File)

UN's special envoy for Syria, Geir Pederson, warned on Tuesday that the lack of efforts to resolve the conflict in Syria's borders with Turkey may lead to a scenario wherein further escalation might take place, and urged for all parties involved in the conflict to de-escalate and abide to the ceasefire which was established in 2020.

"I fear a scenario where the situation escalates in part, because there are no serious efforts today to resolve the conflict politically," Pedersen told a UN Security Council meeting.

"Let me stress that Turkey, the armed opposition, and the SDF should de-escalate now. And this call for restraint and de-escalation is relevant for all other areas in Syria too: Idlib has seen very concerning incidents, including rounds of pro-Government air and ground-based strikes," Pedersen added.

On November 20, Turkish Minister of Defense, Hulusi Akar, announced that Turkey has launched the "Operation Claw-Sword" offensive with airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in both Iraq and Syria.

Erdogan had signaled the possibility of ground forces participating in the Turkish offensive.

The raids come days after Ankara accused the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) of being behind the Istanbul attack that resulted in the death of six people, which the movement categorically denied.

Yesterday, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey is committed to destroying the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) "until its last militant is neutralized."

Erdogan said Turkey's determination to establish a 30-kilometer-deep (18.6-mile) security strip next to its borders continues, claiming that it is something previously sought to do with US and Russian cooperation on its southern border.

Earlier today, Turkey's Presidential Spokesperson said the ground operation that was announced earlier to target northern Syria might be initiated at any moment.

"It could be tomorrow, next week, or anytime. Türkiye will determine the time, place and scope," Ibrahim Kalin said, adding that "operations can be done in different ways."