ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) warned on Wednesday that Turkey’s intensifying bombings may cause “a catastrophic collapse” of the Tishrin Dam in northern Syria.
"Turkish warplanes have conducted multiple airstrikes on the Tishrin Dam and its surrounding areas,” the US-backed, Kurdish-led SDF said in a statement. "The risk of a catastrophic collapse of the Tishreen Dam is increasing."
"The Turkish state will bear full responsibility for any disaster that may occur at the Dam or other areas in Syria due to the ongoing Turkish air and artillery strikes.
"These attacks reached a peak intensity earlier this morning and are continuing at this time."
Clashes have erupted between the SDF and Turkey and its affiliated rebel groups in SDF-controlled areas in northeast Syria since the start of the ex-rebel groups' campaign in late November.
Ankara has said it would press on with military preparations in northern Syria against the SDF until the group is disarmed, claiming that the Kurdish-led force is a security threat to Turkey.
Ever since the collapse of the Assad regime in a lightning offensive led by Islamist rebels in early December, Turkey, and its allied Syrian opposition rebels have been trying to capture the strategic Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River from the SDF, but so far, to no avail.
"These attacks coincide with ground attacks by Turkish-backed mercenary factions on villages located north of the Tishrin Dam and southeast of Manbij. Intense clashes are ongoing between the Manbij Military Council forces and the mercenary groups,” the SDF said.
The Kurdish-led force added: "The mercenary attacks are supported by Turkish aerial bombardments using warplanes and UCAVs, as well as heavy artillery shelling. The clashes are continuing across multiple axes."
The Turkey-backed groups have also been intensely pushing to wrest control of Kobani.
"In Kobani, Turkish UCAVs targeted a civilian car in the village of Girik, as well as the village of Aslanki, located south of Kobani, subjected to artillery shelling,” the SDF said.
Turkey considers the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the backbone of the SDF, to be inextricably linked to its domestic foe, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - an armed group that has fought for increased Kurdish rights in Turkey for decades and is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara.
Kurdistan Region officials have been in contact with Washington, Ankara, and Damascus to ensure Kurdish rights are preserved in the new political landscape of Syria.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani visited Ankara on Tuesday, meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and the country’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
“There are no terrorist organizations or affiliated elements in the future of the new Syria,” a statement cited Erdogan as saying during his meeting with PM Barzani.
PM Barzani’s visit came days after Mazloum Abdi, General Commander of the SDF urged the Kurdistan Region’s top officials to provide mediation and assistance in resolving the Kurdish issue in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
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