Fox News Correspondent: Kurdish Commander Says Turkey is Continuing Airstrikes Despite Ceasefire
Fox News National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin says a top commander of Kurdish forces in Syria told her Turkey has continued its offensive and is ethnically cleansing the region.
Griffin said Sunday that she spoke with Gen. Mazloum Kobani Abdi, the top commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), by telephone and he asked Trump to recall troops to the region.
According to Griffin, he said Turkey had carried out 15 airstrikes since the so-called ceasefire between Turkey and Kurdish forces were announced. Adbi also said Turkish forces “continue ethnic cleansing.”
Just spoke to SDF commander Gen Mazloum by telephone from his base in Syria: Mazloum asks that President Trump change his mind and leave US troops in Syria to continue anti ISIS mission. “The Turks already did ethnic cleansing in Afrin. Right now they continue ethnic cleansing.”
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 20, 2019
Gen Mazloum tells me so far more than 500 civilian casualties and more than 400,000 Kurds displaced, says “Turks are still violating the ceasefire and they still shooting.”
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 20, 2019
Gen Mazloum tells me he wants President Trump 1) to keep remnant forces in Syria. Don’t withdraw all US forces. 2) Stop Turks from attacking in Syria and 3) I ask him to fulfill his promise to Kurdish people in Syria not to allow Turks to do ethnic cleansing in Syria.
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 20, 2019
Gen Mazloum, in phone call, tells me Turks have carried out 15 airstrikes against SDF Kurdish forces since ceasefire. Also tells me his Kurdish forces are still guarding ISIS prisons.”We promise Pres Trump to watch these risky people.”
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 20, 2019
The general argued the Turkish president deceived Trump in convincing the Americans to destroy Kurdish fortifications.
“Do you think President Erdogan tricked President Trump?” Gen Mazloum to me in call: “They asked us to destroy our fortifications, withdraw our heavy weapons.” Then Turks came on joint patrols with Americans to spy on Kurdish positions. “They came with cheat and deceit.”
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) October 20, 2019
In an interview with NPR, Abdi had said the “peace deal” lauded by Trump was a non-starter for his side.
