Iran Opposes Turkey’s Possible Military Intervention in Syria’s Kobani

Iran reiterated that Ankara’s military meddling in the crisis-hit city of Kobani in the Northern part of Syria can deteriorate the situation into an unsolvable and more complicated dispute.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Thursday that Tehran and Turkey are in consultation over the situation in the Kurdish city, noting that Tehran has warned Turkey against ground operations in Syria.

He added that negotiations over the situation in Syria are going on with Tehran and Ankara trying to find a solution to the crisis in Kobani.

“During our preliminary consultations with Turkey, we have found out that this country does not seek escalation of crisis in the region and we hope it would play a positive role in this regard,” the Iranian deputy foreign minister added.

The Iranian diplomat stated that Iran and Turkey are in dialogue over Syria and Iran believes that Turkey can play an effective role in facilitating the return of displaced Syrians to their homeland.

Explaining about Iran’s solution for the ongoing crisis in Kobani, Amir Abdollahian said, “Regional talks are underway over this issue and we hope a serious measure is taken in this regard.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will take any necessary action to help the Kurds in Kobani in line with its support for the Syrian government in its fight against terrorism,” added Amir Abdollahian.

On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said Tehran is ready to help the Syrian government in pushing back ISIL’s wild attack on the Kurdish town of Kobani (also known by the Arab population as Ayn al-Arab) in the Northern parts of the country.

“Kobani is part of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and if the Syrian government makes a demand, we will be ready to provide any assistance it wants,” Afkham said.

Reports said on Wednesday that the Kurdish fighters in Syria’s border town of Kobani are getting the upper hand as urban warfare rages on between them and the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.

The Kurdish fighters, who know the battle field in the area much better than the Takfiris, have driven the militants out of several areas in the Southern part of the strategic town.

Mustafa Ebdi, a Kurdish journalist and activist from Kobani, stated in a message posted on Facebook that the streets of the Maqtala neighborhood in Southeastern Kobani are full of the bodies of ISIL terrorists.

The Kurdish journalist, however, alarmed that the “humanitarian situation is difficult and people need food and water”.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has also confirmed that the terrorists have pulled back from several areas of Kobani.

Rami Abdel Rahman, the observatory director, said the ISIL militants “withdrew overnight” from several areas in the East of Kobani and its Southwestern edges.

He further noted that the Kurdish fighters have managed to clear the Western part of the town of the Takfiri militants.

Meanwhile, Kurdish officials say airstrikes carried out by the US-led coalition against ISIL positions in Syria are not working.

“There’s a valley to the Southwest of Kobani that had 2,000 ISIL vehicles in it for 11 days, yet the Americans have never targeted them. It’s as if they only want to scare them or do a little damage,” said Ahmed Shekho, the head of the Syrian Kurdish students union.

“Now that ISIL are in the Eastern side of the town, a street war has started. It is like gang warfare,” Shekho stated, adding that the fighters know every street.

“ISIL are better armed but when it comes to street fighting, maybe the situation could be different.”

The intense fighting for the strategic town has forced nearly 200,000 people to take refuge in Turkey.