DefenceTalkPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that Turkey could launch a ground operation in Syria, following deadly strikes by Ankara and Kurdish militants in northern Syria. “There is no question that this operation be limited to only an aerial operation,” Erdogan told reporters as he returned to Turkey from Qatar. “Competent authorities, our defence […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkey-could-launch-ground-operation-in-syria-erdogan-79623/

Turkey launched a broad assault on Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria on Wednesday (Oct 9), with intensive bombardment paving the way for a ground offensive made possible by the withdrawal of US troops. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the attack on Twitter and soon after jets and artillery targeted Kurdish positions along […]

DefenceTalkAs Turkey continues its attack on Kurdish forces along the Syrian border town of Afrin, the Defense Department says the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is the common threat in the region, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White told reporters today. Published reports say Turkey launched the Afrin military operation Jan. 20. “[We] are […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkeys-assault-on-kurdish-fighters-concerns-united-states-71165/

DefenceTalkNATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller arrived in Ankara Monday on a long-planned visit that was unrelated to Turkey’s current military campaign against a Kurdish enclave in the northwest Syrian region of Afrin. But her trip provoked heightened interest, given that NATO’s two largest armies stand on opposite sides in the operation. Ankara says it […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-allies-clash-as-turkey-attacks-us-backed-kurds-in-syria-71133/

DefenceTalkTurkey gave Washington advance warning before launching an operation against US-allied Syrian Kurdish forces, and Ankara has “legitimate” security concerns in the area, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Sunday. “Turkey was candid. They warned us before they launched the aircraft they were going to do it in consultation with us, and we are working now […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkey-gave-u-s-heads-up-on-syria-operation-mattis-71102/

DefenceTalkIraqi and Kurdish forces exchanged artillery fire early Monday south of the city of Kirkuk, after central government forces began a “major operation” to take control of a Kurdish military base and oil fields. Shortly before, state television announced that government troops had taken “large areas” of the province from Kurdish peshmerga fighters “without fighting,” […]https://www.defencetalk.com/clashes-between-iraqi-kurdish-troops-close-to-kirkuk-city-70670/

DefenceTalkThe United States on Tuesday began providing small arms to Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State group in northern Syria, the Pentagon said, fulfilling a pledge that has infuriated Turkey. The weapons transfers have begun ahead of an upcoming offensive to recapture Raqa, the last major bastion for IS in Syria. “We have begun to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-begins-sending-arms-to-kurdish-fighters-in-syria-70103/

DefenceTalkA remote-controlled ISIS hobby plane rigged with hidden explosives killed two Kurdish fighters and injured two French special operations troops near Mosul, French and US sources confirmed Wednesday. While the Pentagon has previously said the Islamic State group uses simple, commercially available drones to conduct surveillance and carry small explosives, this was the first known […]https://www.defencetalk.com/isis-drone-kills-kurdish-fighters-hurts-french-troops-68379/

DefenceTalkWashington is considering arming Syrian Kurdish forces who will join the offensive to retake the Islamic State group’s stronghold of Raqa, the US military’s top officer said Thursday. Though the United States has already helped arm Kurdish fighters in Iraq, a similar move in Syria is more contentious as key ally Turkey regards the group […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-weighs-arming-syrian-kurds-ahead-of-raqa-fight-68207/

DefenceTalkTurkish warplanes have destroyed 10 Kurdish rebel positions in the restive southeast as Ankara steps up its fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), state media reported on Sunday. Jets bombed four PKK targets in the Cukurca district of the southeastern province of Hakkari close to northern Iraq on Saturday evening, security sources told […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkish-jets-destroy-kurdish-rebel-targets-68090/