Trump Authorises Turkish Invasion of Rojava

Kurdish regions of Syria, Iraq, and Turkey

It seems that the Kurds made a mistake in trusting the United States. The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES), often referred to as ‘Rojava,’ or Syrian Kurdistan, is a de facto autonomous region in northeastern Syria. It consists of self-governing sub-regions in the areas of Afrin, Jazira, Euphrates, Raqqa, Tabqa, Manbij and Deir Ez-Zor. In an extraordinary Sunday night statement, the White House announces that the US will stand aside while Turkey invades the region. This issue has long been on the cards (Guney Yildiz, 'US withdrawal from Syria leaves Kurds backed into a corner' BBC 20 December 2018). The brief White House statement makes no mention of the boundaries of the zone within Syria in which the US considers Turkey at rights to occupy, there is no mention of the future status of the occupied lands. There is no mention of guarantees for the safety of U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters (the SDF), interpreters and supporting staff who fought against ISIL. There is no mention of guarantees for human rights of the civilian population. It seems Trump has given the green light for Turkey to come in and rout and slaughter the SDF and the genocide at Erdogan's hands of Kurds in Syria will begin. If this is true, it is an utterly disgusting betrayal of the forces who fought alongside U.S. troops for so many years.

The press release mentions ISIL prisoners. Until now, the SDF forces have been holding the US's ISIS prisoners. There are seven facilities in Rojava, several makeshift prisons (former schools and old government buildings) around Ayn Issa in the Raqqa district and at least four detainee facilities located near US army bases in the provinces of Deir Az Zor and Hasakah. Between them they hold 12000 prisoners, 4000 of them of foreign origin - including 100 US-born (see: Louisa Loveluck, 'Islamic State: Where do its fighters come from?' Telegraph 8 Jun 2015). Trump has now decided to wash his hands of them, and hand them over to the Turks.

Northern Syria will probably soon be in chaos after Trump's green light for a Turkish invasion. The progress made in the war against ISIS—at great cost to local U.S. allies and to civilians—could soon be unravelling again.

Let us be wary of any propaganda use made of stories of antiquities by both the US and the Erdogan regime. And pray for the Kurdish people.