Syrian Wars: Turkey rejects Macron’s offer to mediate Ankara and Kurdish militia

Here comes a shocker: French President Emmanuel  Macron’s offer to mediate between Turkey and Kurdish-dominated Syrian Dominated Forces (SDF) was rejected by Turkey on Friday.

On Thursday Macron had met a delegation of the SDF, which included Kurdish and Arab fighters, to express hopes of a dialogue between Turkey and the Ankara militia. 

After the meeting, Khaled Eissa, a Kurdish official based in Paris said Macron promised to send French troops to Manbji to support the fight against Islamic State and dissuade Turkey from advancing towards the town.

However, Turkey rejected the idea calling Kurdish militia a “terrorist” group. 

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin wrote on Twitter that Ankara rejected "any efforts to promote 'dialogue,' 'contact' or 'mediation' between Turkey and those terrorist organizations.” He also warned Paris against taking any steps that could be seen as a legitimation of "terror groups.”

Turkey sees the SDF as a security threat because of its alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has waged an armed campaign against Ankara since 1984, which has led to the death of 40,000 people if not more.

This was the first visit of delegates from Rojava officials to the Elysee.

Interestingly, US forces have in outpost in Manbji under the control of Kurdish-backed Manbji Military Council. Though, US President, on Thursday said, the US will leave Syria very soon, sending French troops to Manbji would only reinforce American forces and block a possible Turkish offensive. 

It must be noted that Turkey recently seized the Syrian Kurdish city go Afrin driving out a Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a terrorist group.