This is a report from Jennifer Griffin, national security correspondent for Fox News, after a phone conversation with an SF soldier in Syria. She filed the report by Twitter within the last two hours.
I just spoke to a distraught US Special Forces soldier who is among the 1000 or so US troops in Syria tonight who is serving alongside the SDF Kurdish forces. It was one of the hardest phone calls I have ever taken.
"I am ashamed for the first time in my career."
This veteran US Special forces soldier has trained indigenous forces on multiple continents. He is on the frontlines tonight and said they are witnessing Turkish atrocities.
"Turkey is not doing what it agreed to. It's horrible," this military source on the ground told me. "We met every single security agreement. The Kurds met every single agreement. There was NO threat to the Turks - NONE - from this side of the border." "This is insanity," the concerned US service member told me. ""I don't know what they call atrocities but they are happening."
This American soldier told me the Kurds have not left their positions guarding the ISIS prisoners. In fact "they prevented a prison break last night without us."
"They are not abandoning our side (yet)."
The Kurds are "pleading for our support." We are doing "nothing."
Troops on the ground in Syria and their commanders were "surprised" by the decision Sunday night. Of the President's decision: "He doesn't understand the problem. He doesn't understand the repercussions of this. Erdogan is an Islamist, not a level headed actor."
This US Special Forces soldier wanted me to know: "The Kurds are sticking by us. No other partner I have ever dealt with would stand by us."
Disappointed in the decisions coming from their senior leaders.
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So what is happening on this opening day of Erdogan's Operation PeaceSpring? Turkey has launched air strikes and artillery barrages on Kurdish military and civilian targets along the entire border east of the Euphrates. The Rojava Information Center reported earlier today:
- 7 serious injuries (two of them female) to adults
- 4 children injured (between 2-6 years old), at least 2 dead
- Hospital in Sere Kaniye is bombed out of service
- Largest Christian neighborhood (Bisheriya) in NE Syria was bombarded, 2 civilians died
Erdogan's jihadi auxiliaries have crossed the border and IS sleeper cells have attacked in Raqqa. The YPG repelled at least one assault on Tal Abyad and destroyed a small Turkish outpost west of Kobani. The YPG has ceased all anti IS operations to deal with this new invasion. This is just the beginning of what will be a long, sad story.
Turkey has coordinated its strikes with Russia. We have no idea what was agreed to by these two. Qatar had voiced support for Erdogan's move. Saudi Arabia, surprisingly, has condemned it. Damascus, obviously, has also condemned it, but puts at least some of the blame on the intransigence of the Kurds. My guess is that SAA and Russian forces will cross the Euphrates to prevent Turkish and jihadi forces from retaking any oilfields. Seems the next phase of Operation Idlib Dawn will have to wait. Whether the SAA will end up fighting side by side with the YPG against Erdogan's jihadis or even Erdogan's troops is anybody's guess at this point. Stay tuned.
TTG
PS:
I had neglected to mention that there is already a large TKK contingent in northern Cyprus. Wiki mentions somewhere between 17.500 and slightly less than 30.000. Their equipment is older though, i.e. M48 tanks and M113 APCs. So you are right that these may be the 10% not ready for duty elsewhere.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_military_forces_in_Northern_Cyprus
Although several of wiki's links to outside sources appear to be dead links.
Posted by: JP Billen | 12 October 2019 at 03:17 PM
@JP Billen
Surprised to see that the Ministère des Armées spoke up. LeDrian ( currently FM but Minister of Def under Hollande) refused to say whether France has soldiers in NE Syria when he was interviewed on France 2 on Thursday evening.
Posted by: The Beaver | 12 October 2019 at 04:03 PM
*Brilliant* find (not that you need a random commenter's praise). Fabrice Balanche always worth reading.
Posted by: Gabriel Uriarte | 12 October 2019 at 04:05 PM
JP Billen & Le Renard Subtil, My bad for grossly under estimating U.S.troops deployed to Saudi Arabia & I'm guessing your numbers don't include the sailors in the area of conflict.
TTG, Some Pentagon spokesman was on tv standing next to an Army General (whose rack
covered 1/2 of his chest) basically apologizing & telling the viewers the military
did everything legally possible to resist Trump's command. I found this very unusual &
sincere.
Posted by: elaine | 12 October 2019 at 05:57 PM
Elaine, I don't know exactly what that general said, but he was wrong to say anything like what you said. He should have had the discipline to keep his opinions to himself. I would expect him to face a reprimand at the very least.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 12 October 2019 at 06:04 PM
Elaine, I did not mean to argue against your numbers. Although it seems the Subtle Fox is correct based on news stories. I only intended to point out that as far as we know 1000 US troops are still in Syria, and some were under attack by Turkey whether accident or intended. Best I think if they did leave. That would maybe give the Kurds some support by Assad to fight off the Turkish invasion. Although Putin might hold Assad back from attacking Turkish troops in the NE. He still wants Turkey out of NATO.
TTG, the general in question I believe was CJCS General Milley. But I think it was the civilian spokesman next to him that did the apologies.
Posted by: JP Billen | 12 October 2019 at 06:21 PM
Yep, the civilian spokesman did all the talking. The General just stood
there silent & stoic looking straight into the camera.
Posted by: elaine | 12 October 2019 at 11:57 PM
Very late but, re Mashtenour Hill, my guess would be a partly an accidentally-on-purpose warning, partly a handy way to draw attention away from what appears to be their point of main effort further east between Tel Abyad and Ras el-Ain. There is plenty of evidence that both American SF teams on the ground and a good portion of their chain of command were dismayed by Trump's decision, so it wouldn't surprise me if it turned out that they were "slow-walking" an order to withdraw.
To be a bit more useful, Al-Monitor had a nice piece yesterday about the domestic political context within which Erdogan has launched this offensive.
Posted by: Gabriel Uriarte | 13 October 2019 at 02:26 AM
TTG - I'm hoping you'll post another update soon considering the SDF deal with Assad.
They released a statement announcing that an an agreement has been reached for protecting the country's borders and preserve Syrian sovereignty.
“The self-administration of northern and eastern Syria, through its military forces, the Syrian Democratic Forces formed out of all the components of the Syrian self-management areas, fought terrorism starting from Kobani in 2014 and then continued the battles of liberation against this terrorist group in northern and eastern Syria, as it managed to liberate Manbij west of the Euphrates, Tal Abyad, Tabqa until it reached the alleged capital of ISIS “al-Raqqa” and then to Deir ez-Zor and declared victory over this group after five years of fighting on March 23, 2019.
This liberated geographical area is equivalent to one third of the total territories of Syria. The SDF lost 11 thousand martyrs and 24 thousand wounded, including permanent disabilities during these battles.
This was a high price to liberate the Syrians and all the components from the oppression and brutality of these terrorist organizations and to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria.
Our political project in northern and eastern Syria did not call for secession, but we have been calling for dialogue and resolving the Syrian crisis peacefully. We did not attack any country, especially Turkey, though it persists to call us terrorists while it played an important role in supporting terrorism in Syria. Today, Turkey is invading the Syrian territory liberated by the SDF with the blood and sacrifices of its children.
During the past five days, the most heinous crimes against unarmed civilians have been committed. The SDF has responded with dignity and courage resulting in the death and injury of its fighters, in order to save the Syrian integrity, however Turkey is continuing its assault. As a result, we had to deal with the Syrian government that has the duty of protecting the country's borders and preserve Syrian sovereignty, so that the Syrian army can enter and deploy along the Syrian-Turkish border to support the SDF to repel this aggression and liberate the areas entered by the Turkish army and its hired mercenaries. This agreement offers an opportunity to liberate the rest of the Syrian territories and cities occupied by the Turkish army as Afrin and other Syrian cities and towns.
Therefore, we call on all our people and all components in northern and eastern Syria, especially the border areas, that this deployment came through coordination and compatibility with the self-administration of the North and East Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces.”
Posted by: JP Billen | 13 October 2019 at 05:08 PM
So it seems an invading horde combined with "you're fired!" has finally got the Kurds to make the smart decision and reconcile with Damascus. Big map changes coming up very shortly by all accounts. By the time Congress gets its act together to try and reverse the withdrawal, the SAA & Russia will be protecting the Kurds - game over. The Borg must be losing their minds.
Posted by: Barbara Ann | 13 October 2019 at 05:13 PM
.....extended quotes to a journalist from an un-named, deployed SF soldier.... Reporter says "It is one of the hardest phone calls I have ever taken." clearly implying that the soldier called her.......Is that not unusual?.......someone wants that quote to make the press..... and to form part of the dialogue of betrayal
Posted by: Xenophon | 13 October 2019 at 05:35 PM