Turkey attacks Syrian Kurds, the U.S. partner in fight against ISIS

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• Judy Woodruff:

  ISIS named a new leader this week after its previous leader was killed in fighting in Syria's southwest.

  But it is Syria's northern border with NATO member Turkey that has the U.S. concerned about new violence. The Turkish military has been attacking Syrian Kurds, who are U.S. partners in fighting ISIS.

  Nick Schifrin speaks to the Kurds' commander and examines how the tensions could affect U.S. efforts in the region.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Along the Turkish-Syrian border, a Turkish bombardment. For 10 days, the Turkish military has targeted Kurdish militia bases, including within a few hundred feet of U.S. troops on a joint U.S.-Kurdish base, Kurdish critical infrastructure, and the Kurds themselves, the family of a fighter, his daughter inconsolable.

• Yousef Hajji, Syrian Resident (through translator):

  They want to exterminate the Kurdish people and the people of this area.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Ten days of funerals for dozens of people killed by attacks on 90 sites.

  General Mazloum Abdi commands the region's mostly Kurdish Syrian Defense Forces, or SDF.

• Gen. Mazloum Abdi, Commander, Syrian Democratic Forces (through translator):

  All my soldiers and their focus have been distracted. They're focusing on the protection of their families.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Turkey calls the military operations a necessary response to Istanbul's deadliest terrorist attack in five years. In mid-November, a bomb killed at least six people on one of the city's most popular shopping streets.

  Turkey blamed what it calls Kurdish terrorists that have targeted the state for years. Over four decades, Turkey has fought the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, considered a terrorist group by Turkey and the U.S. Kurdish fighters, known as the YPG, are based in Northern Syria. And in 2018 and 2019, Turkish troops invaded to create what Ankara calls buffer zones.

  But the Kurds are also U.S. partners. The mostly Kurdish SDF control the area in yellow, after they fought and defeated ISIS alongside the U.S. military. Today, about 600 American soldiers in Northeast Syria patrol with the SDF to ensure ISIS doesn't return.

  And the SDF secures camps that hold ISIS sympathizers and fighters' families. But the SDF's anti-ISIS operation is now paused after the Turkish attacks and threats of a ground invasion.

• Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish President (through translator):

  The expiry date of these terrorists has now passed. Their concrete tunnels in which they take refuge today will soon become their graves.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Do you fear that Turkey will launch a further ground invasion in the coming days?

• Gen. Mazloum Abdi (through translator):

  In my opinion, what Erdogan is doing is like a test. He is testing America and he is testing Russia. If there is not enough reaction from them, then he will be able to carry out an operation within a short period, like a week.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Russian troops operate in Northern Syria, and Moscow urged Turkey to — quote — "show restraint."

  And, last night, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar of the U.S.' — quote — "strong opposition" to a new Turkish military operation.

• Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Pentagon Press Secretary:

  What we're talking about here is ensuring that we can continue to keep the defeat ISIS mission going without destabilizing the region, which we believe that a ground invasion would result in.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Administration officials tell "PBS NewsHour" they have delivered their strongest messages to Turkey in private.

  But Mazloum asks for more public support.

• Gen. Mazloum Abdi (through translator):

  Here, we see that there is a weak position. There should have been a clear position regarding these violations. We see that this is not enough for what happened. And we hope that the communication that takes place in private channels will be sufficient to stop Turkey.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Do you want the U.S. military, your partner, to be speaking more strongly in public?

• Gen. Mazloum Abdi (through translator):

  Of course, because, this time, Turkey has crossed its border and is even targeting the forces that work with the international coalition.

• Nick Schifrin:

  For years, the U.S. has struggled to balance commitments to ally Turkey and partner Kurds. And, today, Turkey is holding up a U.S. priority…

  Joe Biden, President of the United States: The applications of two great democracies.

• Nick Schifrin:

  … Sweden and Finland's ascension into NATO.

  Donald Trump, Former President of the United States: We want to protect the Kurds, but I don't want to be in Syria forever. It's sand and it's death.

• Nick Schifrin:

  And, for years, Kurdish leaders have worried about the U.S.' leaving Syria and abandoning the Kurds to their enemies Turkey or to Bashar al-Assad's army, or both.

  Is the U.S. a reliable partner?

• Gen. Mazloum Abdi (through translator):

  In fact, this depends on this administration. The previous administration, when Turkey occupied our lands, it appeared to us the U.S. was not a reliable ally. But, in the Biden administration, they pledge to protect this region.

  And, in these three years, they have been able to fulfill their promises. These threats are now a test for America, so that these promises between us will not disappear.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Turkey has received strong U.S. warnings, administration officials believe, but Turkey could still further invade, threatening the mission against ISIS and sparking fears the Kurds will have to sacrifice even more.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Nick Schifrin.