Turkey Talking to Russia About Using Syrian Airspace To Attack YPG Militia

Turkey is in talks with Russia about using Syrian airspace to conduct a cross-border raid against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced over the weekend that Ankara held talks with Moscow about the details of the long-threatened operation, including a discussion about opening the airspace over northern Syria.

Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, an armed guerrilla movement based in the Kurdish-majority regions of southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq that is considered to be a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU. Turkey holds the YPG responsible for the November 13 bombing in its largest city, Istanbul, that killed six people and injured 81. Turkish police arrested a Syrian woman shortly after the bombing who, they say, has admitted to planning the bombing on orders from the YPG. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in late November vowed to launch a ground incursion into northern Syria and establish a security zone there “at the most convenient time.”

Erdoğan spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week and suggested a meeting with Turkish, Russian and Syrian leaders to discuss joint counterterrorism strategy, according to reports. Turkey has previously carried out three large-scale military operations in Syria – Euphrates Shield in 2016-2017, Olive Branch in 2018 and Peace Spring in 2019.