Turkey has occupied Tel Rifat and Manbij with the help of its mercenary SNA, in parallel with the advance of HTS launched in Idlib at the end of November, and is currently threatening the symbolic city of Kobanê and other areas of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) east of the Euphrates. On Monday evening, the Syrian Democratic Forces announced that US-led negotiations with Turkey on a ceasefire had failed. This is already the fourth Turkish invasion of northern Syria since 2016. On Monday, DAANES presented a ten-point for political dialogue in Syria and called for the unity and sovereignty of the Syrian state to be preserved and for the country to be protected from attacks by the Turkish state and its supporters.

The Green faction in the Austrian National Council strongly condemned the escalating violence in Syria by Turkey and its jihadist alliance ‘Syrian National Army’ (SNA) against the Kurdish-dominated autonomous administration, and called for decisive action by the EU.

The situation in north-eastern Syria is worrying and requires attention, particularly in view of a possible major attack on Kobanê, said Meri Disoski, foreign policy spokeswoman in the National Council for European and Foreign Policy. She said that Austria stands in solidarity with the Kurds and supports the demands of Kurdish representatives for an immediate end to the fighting.

“In light of the latest reports of escalation, it is necessary to send a clear message to Turkey: Turkish attacks on the Kurds in north-eastern Syria are a clear violation of international law and must be called out as such,” emphasised Disoski.

In view of the impending bloodshed, the Austrian Greens expect clear words from the EU leaders. “This also applies to ÖVP Chancellor Nehammer, who spoke on the phone with Turkish President Erdoğan a few days ago. Europe must not stand idly by when the territorial integrity of Syria is attacked by a NATO member state,” said Disoski.