14 February 2017, 14:54 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Syrian Kurds will not cede their territories, including the city of Manbij, to the control of Turkey and will defend them if Turkey attacks, President of Kobani Canton in Syrian Kurdistan Anwar Muslim told Sputnik.
"Manbij is autonomous now. We were helping locals to liberate it from the Islamic State [Daesh]. If they ask us again, we will help, of course. We will not put Manbij under Turkish control," Muslim said.
He added that sometimes Turkey resorted to provocations and stressed that Kurds had the right to self-defense.
"We regard Turkey, which sent its troops to Syria, as occupants. Sooner or later they will have to leave Syria," Muslim noted.
On August 24, 2016, the Turkish army started the Operation Euphrates Shield against the militants of Syrian Kurds terrorist group, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Together with the Syrian opposition Turkey took over the city of Jarabulus in north Syria and is currently attacking the al-Bab city.
Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish militia to be related to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, seen as a terrorist organization by Ankara.
