Turkey warns pro-Syrian forces in Afrin of 'serious consequences'

Arrival of Damascus-backed militias opens door to more violence

TOPSHOT - CORRECTION - A picture taken on February 20, 2018 shows a convoy of pro-Syrian government fighters flashing the victory gesture as they ride through the windows of pickup trucks upon arriving in Syria's northern region of Afrin, with a portrait of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan seen on a banner in the background.
Kurdish forces said in a statement on February 20 that pro-regime fighters deployed to Syria's Afrin region will take up positions and "participate in defending the territorial unity of Syria and its borders", countering Turkey's offensive on the area. / AFP PHOTO / George OURFALIAN / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by George OURFALIAN has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [region of Afrin] instead of [city of Afrin]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.”
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Turkey on Wednesday warned Syrian President Bashar Al Assad of "serious consequences" unless his forces retreated from the Kurdish enclave of Afrin.

Pro-government militias entered the Afrin area on Tuesday, but were repelled by Turkish shelling, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said. It is unclear whether the Iran-backed troops are inside the eponymous city.

"Any step by the regime or other elements in this direction will surely have serious consequences," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters.

Turkey is determined to press ahead with its offensive to drive Kurdish fighters known as People’s Protection Unit, or YPG, out of Afrin.

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Read more:

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Mr Kalin warned that Syrian regime forces would become a "legitimate target" if they continued siding with the Kurdish militia fighters.

Mr Erdogan's government views the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has been locked in a battle against the Turkish state since 1984.

The arrival of Damascus’ forces to Afrin opens the door to more violence on Syria’s already complex northern battlefront, where Turkish troops, Syrian rebels, the Syrian army, Iran-linked militias, Kurdish fighters and Russian and American forces are all contending.

Ramon Penas / The National
Ramon Penas / The National

London's representative of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the political branch of the YPG, Alan Shemo, said that Syrian regime forces will facilitate the protection of Afrin’s borders.

"There will likely be joint forces to protect the border, but that depends on the military agreement needed. [They are] not allowed to enter the city [of Afrin]," Mr Shemo told The National.

He asserted that the Kurdish self-governing administration in Afrin will not be compromised.