In the face of Turkish threats, Kurds call the population to "resistance"

Tension has risen a notch on the border between Turkey and Syria in recent days. In the face of threats of a possible Turkish offensive, the semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities in Syria on Wednesday (October 9th) called for "a general mobilization for three days", urging the residents of the north-east to "resist".

Referring to an upcoming military operation against a Syrian Kurdish militia, Ankara, for its part, massed reinforcements and dispatched armored vehicles in the area.

"Full responsibility"

"We proclaim the state of general mobilization for three days in northeastern Syria," the Kurdish semi-autonomous administration said in a statement. "We call all the components of our people to go to the border area (...) to ensure resistance in this delicate historical moment."

Pointing the finger at the United States, their great ally, but also the UN, Russia or the European Union, the Kurdish Communiqué makes them bear "full responsibility" in case of "humanitarian disaster" in their region.

Washington's ally in the fight against the Islamic State group, the main Kurdish militia in Syria, the People's Protection Units (YPG), is considered by Ankara as a "terrorist" group.

Washington contradictions

The White House has multiplied these days contradictory statements. The United States has begun withdrawing US troops from certain border areas that may be targeted by a Turkish offensive.

However, in the face of indignation on the international scene and in his own camp, US President Donald Trump reoriented his speech, assuring that he did not "abandon" the Kurds.

Preparations for the Turkish operation "completed"

The Turkish Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday that "all preparations for an operation have been completed".

The communication director of the Turkish presidency, Fahrettin Altun, wrote in the Washington Post that Turkish soldiers would "cross the Syrian-Turkish border shortly".

According to the Turkish daily Hürriyet, the Turkish General Staff is waiting for the withdrawal of US forces in the area to be completed.

Turkey is considering first taking control of a strip of territory at the border of 120 km long and deep about thirty kilometers from the cities of Tall Abyad to Ras al-Ain, according to the newspaper.

With AFP