Moscow calls on Ankara to show restraint in Syria

Following Turkish air strikes against Kurdish positions in Syria, Moscow called on Ankara to give up “excessive use of force”. German Interior Minister Faezer warned of escalation of the situation.

In the face of Turkey's new military offensive in Syria and Iraq, Russia has urged Ankara to show restraint. “We hope to be able to convince our Turkish partners to refrain from overuse of force on Syrian territory regardless of everything,” said Russian presidential representative for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, according to the Interfax news agency. New talks in the so-called Astana forms with Russia, Turkey and Iran were planned there.

Lavrentyev also confirmed that Moscow had not been informed in advance of Turkish air strikes. “We will certainly ask our Turkish colleagues to exercise restraint to avoid an escalation of tensions not only in northern and northeast Syria, but also throughout Syria,” he added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a little later that Moscow can certainly understand Turkey's “concerns about its security”. “at the same time, we ask all sides to refrain from taking measures that could lead to the serious destabilisation of the” situation, Peskov of Interfax was quoted as saying. As for the situation in Syria, there are always “unitions, sometimes even opinions” between Russia and Turkey, he acknowledged.

Turkey has undertaken attacks on positions since Sunday

Since Sunday, Turkey has undertaken attacks on Syria and Iraq against the positions of Kurdish militia, which it considers responsible for an attack conducted on 13 November in downtown Istanbul. The attacked regions are under the control of the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG. Kurds deny responsibility for Istanbul's bombing, as do the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

It is now Turkey's fifth military offensive in northern Syria, a country in civil war, where Turkish troops invade areas near the border and co-operate with rebel groups. Russia, on the other hand, supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Faeser warns of escalation of violence

German Interior Minister Nancy Fyser also called on Turkey, following the offensive in Syria and Iraq, to avoid a escalation of violence. Germany stands alongside Turkey in the fight against terrorism, “but the response should be partial”, Fezer said in Ankara during a meeting with Turkish counterpart Süleyman Soylu. It demanded respect for international law and protection of civilians.

Turkey considers the YPG a PKK branch. This party is considered a terrorist organisation in Germany, which is not worth the YPG.

Activists - Attack Against a Co-operative Base From the United States

Meanwhile, Turkey has called on the United States to stop supporting the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG. We attract the attention of all our partners, especially of the United States, to the fact that YPG is the Syrian equivalent of The PKK and we sincerely ask them to stop any support for terrorists”, Turkish Minister Hulus Akar said.

The YPG militia is backed by the United States and played a crucial role in the expulsion of the jihadist military of the Islamic State (IS) from Syria and also from the town of Kobe.

According to activists, two Kurdish fighters died and three others were seriously injured in a new attack, fearing at a military base. The base is jointly used by the US-led international coalition and Kurdish fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Offensive Against I SIS is carried out from the base near Al-Hasaka City.

Erdogan hints of possible infantry offensive

According to the Turkish Army, 184 <x0) terrorists have been neutralised” since the beginning of the new military offensive in Syria and Iraq. The Turkish government and the armed forces usually use the term to refer to Kurdish groups as well. The Turkish Defence Ministry cited air and land attacks at night. The number of victims mentioned could not be independently verified.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had reported at least 35 deaths including civilians after the new military offensive. In the province of Gaziantep, southeast Turkey, three people were killed by weapons shooting from Syria.

Turkey Calls Swedish Ambassador

Relations with the YPG and the PKK are also a source of tension at another level. The Turkish Foreign Ministry reportedly summoned the Swedish ambassador to Ankara. State news agency Anadolu reported, citing diplomatic sources that an incident occurred at the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.

Images containing “terrorist propaganda” and offensive restraint against President Erdogan were designed at Ankara's representation building in Sweden. Groups close to the PKK, the banned Kurdish Workers' Party, are believed to stand behind these images. Ambassador Staffan Herrstöm said he will take the necessary steps, Anadolu writes.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry has confirmed to the Swedish news agency TT a meeting between the Stockholm ambassador and the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The ministry refused to elaborate. Ankara is currently blocking Sweden and Finland's NATO accession, taking among other factors in the two countries' alleged support of the Syrian Kurdish militia. Ankara also calls for the extradition of some from NATO candidates. According to Turkey, some of them are close to the PKK. /dw