NEWS CENTER - Stating that Turkey does not distinguish between military and civilians in Northern and Eastern Syria, Prof. Dr. Cengiz Aktar commented on the attitude of states towards attacks as "This is a century-old consensus".
Following the action carried out on October 1 against the General Directorate of Security located in the Ministry of Internal Affairs campus and undertaken by the PKK, Northern and Eastern Syria were targeted. Turkey targeted 40 regions in the last 24 hours. Following the statements of Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, infrastructure, service centers, petrol stations and civilian living spaces were hit in the attacks launched against the region.
While the air strikes were continuing, the United States of America (USA) shot down an Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(Drones) belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces because it saw it as a threat to US soldiers.
University of Atina Lecturer Prof. Dr. Cengiz Aktar evaluated the attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria.
'TÜRKİYE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN SOLDIERS AND CIVILIANS'
Stating that Turkey's attacks against Rojava and the Federated Kurdistan Region have been continuing for years, Aktar said: "Türkish state escalated its attacks to higher levels because it could not get the results it wanted. TSK was hitting similar targets in the past. Now he started shooting more. For TAF, everything is a target. In the past, there was no distinction between military and civilian."
USA'S DUAL APPROACH
Referring to the attitude of Europe and the USA towards Turkey's attacks, Aktar said: “There is nothing new. The only thing new is that the USA openly shot down a drone. Nothing like this has ever happened before. However, from the information received and the statements made, the defense ministers of the two countries met. It seems that America has adopted the attitude of 'Do not approach the bases where my soldiers are stationed, do whatever you do other than that'. "The Pentagon makes a statement saying, 'We will continue our cooperation with the YPG,' but on the other hand, it implicitly says that it will not oppose Turkey's targeted attacks, especially in Syria, which are devastating everywhere."
'THERE IS A CENTURY-OLD CONSENSUS'
Stating that the world and Turkey are on a dangerous path, Aktar said: “Nobody cares about what happens to the Kurds. Azerbaijan is attacking Armenians, no one cares. Türkiye, Iran and the Damascus government are attacking the Kurds, but no one cares. More than 50 civilians were killed in Ukraine yesterday as a result of Russian bombardment, but no one cares. The debate about 'Should we give that gun or that gun' still continues. The USA has 900 soldiers in Rojava. The situation seems to be more dangerous because they will definitely try to keep Turkey within NATO, and they are trying. This is their basic policy. The relationship and cooperation with the Kurds and YPG becomes a secondary plan. This is a century-old consensus."
MA / Yüsra Batıhan