Ankara warns PYD over 'demographic change' in northern Syria

Ankara ?will not permit its red lines to be crossed? in northern Syria after a key town on the Turkish border was captured by Kurdish forces from extremist jihadists, warning Kurds not to force Turkmens and Arabs out of the region.

According to evaluations made by the Foreign Ministry, which were presented in two high-level security meetings last week, Turkey will continue to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on all platforms, but it will not allow the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which has links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK) and captured the border town Tal Abyad from ISIL last week, to cross Turkey?s red lines in Syria.

The points made in the document, prepared by the Foreign Ministry and obtained by daily Hürriyet, have been approved by the President?s Office, Prime Ministry and the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). 

Accordingly:

- Turkey?s sees ISIL as a terror organization. Hence, it will continue to fight against the group and be a part of the international coalition fighting ISIL.

- The fight against ISIL will continue on its own course, without any regard to the PYD or other terror organizations.

- The PYD has been informed at the highest level about Turkey?s conditions. It has been told not to collaborate with the Bashar al-Assad regime and not violate Syria?s territorial integrity. The PYD has been told that all Syrian people will together decide the future of Syria and that it is unacceptable that the PYD will not be a part of it.

- The PYD, however, acted pragmatically, acting together with the al-Assad regime on one side while bargaining with ISIL on the other side when their interests overlapped, declaring cantons in defiance of Syria?s unity.

- The...