Member of Presidential Council of SDC US Mission Bassam Ishak: Turkish statements suggest understandings between Ankara, Damascus, and Moscow

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Regarding the political developments surrounding the Turkish military threats to invade North and East Syria, Member of the Presidential Council of the Syrian Democratic Council’s (SDC) US Mission in Washington, D.C.  Bassam Ishak, commented that the statements of Turkish officials suggest that there is an understanding between Ankara, Damascus, and Moscow to expand the geographical region controlled by Ankara in northern Syria.

Ishak expressed his wishes that Russia and the Syrian regime would not conclude understandings with the Turkish government to allow it to control more Syrian lands and said that Western capitals strongly opposed Turkey’s launching of a new military operation.

According to Ishak, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as part of the US-led International Coalition, have primarily focused on combating the Islamic State (ISIS) and protecting the region from external attack.

He stated that the ultimate decision-maker for the military incursion into northern Syria is Turkey and it must first think about its interests with the United States, Russia, and Iran. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan must consider with great importance the upcoming elections in the country, and this is another factor for the desire to launch a military operation in northern Syria, he added.

Ishak stressed that the SDF do not want to engage in any military conflict with Turkey, nor with any other external party, as wars harm all parties involved in them.