Csefalvayova: West Should Protect Kurds in Northern Syria

Csefalvayova: West Should Protect Kurds in Northern Syria

Bratislava, October 8 (TASR) – Kurds in the Middle East deserve the protection of the West, head of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee Katarina Csefalvayova (Independent) stated on Tuesday.

“I follow the news from the Middle East with concern, especially the planned intervention from Turkey into northern Syria, which wouldn’t only violate the sovereignty of a foreign state but it would also mean an existential threat for hundreds of thousands of Kurds occupying Syria’s north-eastern region,” Csefalvayova stated, adding that it would have been impossible to defeat the tyranny of the Islamic State (IS) without the help and sacrifices of this nation that lacks its own state.

“The USA, the EU and Russia should make all necessary efforts to persuade Turkey to refrain from its intentions. Withdrawing soldiers who should protect Kurds only fuels Turkey’s desire to expand in the region,” she stated. “Perhaps many don’t like the presence of the USA in Syria, however, other players are ready to make use of the space freed up in order to achieve further destabilisation and destruction,” she added. According to Csefalvayova, best endeavours should be made to achieve peace, stability and calm in the area as fuelling the tensions in the Middle East has never done any good.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Monday that his country is ready to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria. These forces are a decisive partner in the fight against the IS for Washington, however, Ankara considers them a “terrorist” offshoot of Kurdish separatists operating in Turkey.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that America hasn’t abandoned the Kurds despite the fact the USA is withdrawing its soldiers from northern Syria.