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Turkey clears way for Kurdish reinforcements to battle Islamic State Turkey clears way for Kurdish reinforcements to battle Islamic State
(about 2 hours later)
SANLIURFA, Turkey — Turkey will allow passage for Iraqi Kurdish fighters seeking to reinforce Syrian Kurds battling the Islamic State, the Turkish foreign minister said on Monday, signaling another potential boost for the defenders of embattled Kobane. SANLIURFA, Turkey — Turkey agreed on Monday to allow passage for Iraqi Kurdish fighters seeking to join Syrian Kurds battling the Islamic State, signaling another potential boost for embattled Kobane after U.S. airdrops of weapons and ammunition.
Turkey’s announcement followed overnight U.S. airdrops of weapons and ammunition to the Syrian border town, which has faced steady Islamic State attacks for weeks. But Turkish government officials stressed there was still no firm deal in place. Kurds defending the Syrian border town also said they had not yet cleared the way for Iraqi Kurds — underscoring deep Kurdish differences despite their common enemy.
The decision by Turkey marks a possible breakthrough in its political calculations over aiding the U.S.-led battles against the Islamic State, a radical al-Qaeda offshoot also known as ISIS or ISIL. A major consideration for Turkey is the interconnection between various factions of Kurds, whose ethnic homeland spreads across Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Still, the decision by NATO-member Turkey marks a possible breakthrough in its political calculations over aiding the U.S.-led battles against the Islamic State, a radical al-Qaeda offshoot also known as ISIS or ISIL.
Turkey had opposed delivering weapons to Kobane’s Syrian Kurds because of their affiliations with a Kurdish group in Turkey that began an insurgency three decades ago. A major consideration for Turkey is the interconnection between various factions of Kurds, whose ethnic homeland spreads across Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Turkey had opposed delivering weapons to Kobane’s Syrian Kurds because of their affiliations with a Kurdish group in Turkey that began an insurgency three decades ago.
But the U.S.-dropped supplies and possible fresh fighters are expected to give a big boost to the battle against the Islamic State advance on Kobane, which is within sight of the Turkish border and has been the target of escalating American-led airstrikes. Kurds have their own rifts to overcome. The main Syrian Kurdish party is wary that its power could be undermined by allowing in the more politically connected Iraqi Kurds, who maintain close ties with the West.
Last week, Kurds in Kobane said they had turned the tide of the battle and forced the Islamic State to retreat from several areas of the town. But Syrian Kurds also warned they were running low on weapons and ammunition. Idriss Nasaan, deputy foreign minister in the self-styled Kurdish government of Kobane, said the Iraqi Kurdish fighters would only be welcome if they “agree to fight under the command’’ of the Syrian Kurds.
Despite the complications in opening a route for reinforcements, the U.S.-dropped supplies gave an immediate boost in the battle for Kobane, which is within sight of the Turkish border and has been the target of escalating American-led airstrikes.
One of the air attacks Monday blasted a “stray” shipment from the U.S. airdrop to prevent “these supplies from falling into enemy hands,” the U.S. Central Command said.
Last week, Kurds in Kobane said they had turned the tide of the battle and forced the Islamic State from several areas of the town. But Syrian Kurds also warned they were running low on weapons and ammunition.
The U.S. airdrops overnight Sunday followed a telephone call between President Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was informed about the mission.The U.S. airdrops overnight Sunday followed a telephone call between President Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was informed about the mission.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu later said that Turkey would also allow Iraqi Kurdish fighters, known as pesh merga, to cross into Syria to fight alongside the Syrian Kurds. Hours later, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey would also allow Iraqi Kurdish fighters, known as pesh merga, to cross into Syria to fight alongside the Syrian Kurds.
“We never wanted Kobane to fall,” Cavusoglu told a news conference in the Turkish capital, Ankara.“We never wanted Kobane to fall,” Cavusoglu told a news conference in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
The deal followed days of talks in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Dahuk between Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish factions as well as U.S. officials.The deal followed days of talks in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Dahuk between Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish factions as well as U.S. officials.
The Kobane fighters are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a group based in southeastern Turkey that has fought Turkish forces since the mid-1980s, seeking greater autonomy. Its leaders have threatened to tear up a recent peace accord with Turkey if Kobane fell. Both Turkey and the United States have declared the PKK a terrorist organization. The Kobane fighters are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a group based in southeastern Turkey that has fought Turkish forces since the mid-1980s, seeking greater autonomy. Its leaders have threatened to tear up a recent peace accord with Turkey if Kobane fell.
The Kobane Kurds also have long been at odds with Iraq’s Kurds over who should control Kurdish areas in northern Syria. But over the past two years, a PKK-affiliated faction has gained ascendancy in northern Syria. Both Turkey and the United States have declared the PKK a terrorist organization, raising additional wrinkles for American policymakers.
The U.S. airdrops were the first into Syria since the civil war there began more than three years ago.
The airdrops — totaling what officials said were 27 “bundles” of supplies delivered by three C-130 cargo planes — followed a week of intensive U.S. and coalition airstrikes against militant forces in and around Kobane.The airdrops — totaling what officials said were 27 “bundles” of supplies delivered by three C-130 cargo planes — followed a week of intensive U.S. and coalition airstrikes against militant forces in and around Kobane.
Officials did not specify where the planes took off but said the operation lasted about four hours, beginning at 4 p.m. Washington time. The C-130s, which fly low and slowly, were not accompanied by fighter jets, they said, because the Islamic State is not thought to have antiaircraft weapons. U.S. officials did not specify where the planes took off, but said the operation lasted about four hours. The C-130s, which fly low and slowly, were not accompanied by fighter jets, they said, because the Islamic State is not thought to have antiaircraft weapons.
The decision to provide supplies came during a weekend in which some of the fiercest fighting occurred in and around Kobane, with militants firing dozens of mortar rounds, some of which were said to have landed in Turkish territory.
In deciding to focus extensive firepower on Kobane, the administration is seeking to avoid a militant propaganda victory in a place that has garnered intense attention from reporters based just over the Turkish border.
Over the past week, the administration has tried unsuccessfully to persuade Turkey to open its border to the resupply.Over the past week, the administration has tried unsuccessfully to persuade Turkey to open its border to the resupply.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry said he understood Turkey’s delicate situation with the PKK, but he stressed that it would be “irresponsible” not to send aid to the Kurdish fighters in Kobane.Secretary of State John F. Kerry said he understood Turkey’s delicate situation with the PKK, but he stressed that it would be “irresponsible” not to send aid to the Kurdish fighters in Kobane.
“It would be irresponsible of us, as well morally very difficult, to turn your back on a community fighting ISIL as hard as it is at this particular moment,” he said in Jakarta, Indonesia.“It would be irresponsible of us, as well morally very difficult, to turn your back on a community fighting ISIL as hard as it is at this particular moment,” he said in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Syrian Kurds in Kobane “are valiantly fighting ISIL and we cannot take our eye off the prize here,” Kerry added.The Syrian Kurds in Kobane “are valiantly fighting ISIL and we cannot take our eye off the prize here,” Kerry added.
Turkey also has tried to leverage its support for the coalition effort to secure a U.S. pledge to expand its military campaign against the Islamic State to a fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Turkey also has tried to leverage its support for the coalition effort to secure a U.S. pledge to expand its military campaign against the Islamic State to a fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The U.S. Central Command said that “no U.S.-made weapons” were included in the Syria resupply. Iraq’s Kurdish pesh merga military force uses mostly Soviet-era Russian weapons, which the United States arranged last summer to be supplied by former Soviet-bloc countries now in NATO. The Turkish foreign minister Cavusoglu said further concessions are sought from the Syrian Kurds. Turkey wants to them to unite against Assad and give up demands for autonomy over their region in order to receive Turkish aid.
DeYoung reported from Washington. Missy Ryan and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.DeYoung reported from Washington. Missy Ryan and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.