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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 16 January 2018
Israel slams Palestinian leader over anti-Trump speech

By ARON HELLER Trump, in which he pro- Avigdor Lieberman said Naftali Bennett, head of exposed what he called
Associated Press claimed the U.S. role as ar- Abbas had “lost his senses” the pro-settler Jewish Home the truth. “The root of the
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli biter of the Mideast conflict and had given up on the Party, said the speech rep- conflict between us and
leaders slammed Palestin- over, attacked the admin- prospect of peace nego- resented Abbas’ swan the Palestinians is their con-
ian President Mahmoud istration’s envoys and de- tiations in favor of open song. Prime Minister Ben- tinuous refusal to recognize
Abbas Monday for a fiery, scribed Israel as a colonial confrontation with both Is- jamin Netanyahu, during the Jewish state in any bor-
invective-filled speech conspiracy. rael and the United States. a trip to India, said Abbas ders,” he said in a state-
against President Donald Israeli Defense Minister Israeli Education Minister “tore off the mask” and ment on Facebook.q

Turkey vows to ‘drown’ US-backed Syrian Kurdish force

By SUZAN FRASER dogan’s threats. group in Syria. from the existing Kurdish- rebels and independently
SARAH EL DEEB “Turkey is a valued member “A strong border security led Syrian Democratic fought to drive IS from parts
Associated Press of a 74-member Coalition force will prohibit (IS) free- Forces, the coalition’s ally of Syria.
BEIRUT (AP) — Turkey’s and a NATO partner, shar- dom of movement and in the fight against IS. Some Tensions with Washington
president on Monday de- ing our mission to ensure deny the transportation of 230 cadets have already have repeatedly erupted
nounced U.S. plans to form the lasting defeat of (IS) illicit materials,” the coali- been recruited to the new over its support of the SDF,
a 30,000-strong Kurdish- prompting U.S. troops to
led border security force deploy in northeast Syria to
in Syria, vowing to “drown prevent clashes between
this army of terror before it the Kurdish forces and Tur-
is born,” as Russia and Syria key-backed fighters.
also rejected the idea. In recent days, Turkey said
President Recep Tayyip Er- it would soon launch a new
dogan also warned U.S. operation in Afrin and sent
troops against coming be- reinforcements to the bor-
tween Turkish troops and der. Russia deployed mili-
Kurdish forces, which An- tary observers to Afrin last
kara views as an extension year in an effort to prevent
of Turkey’s own Kurdish in- Turkish-Kurdish clashes.
surgency. On Monday, Erdogan said
Turkey has been threaten- preparations for the military
ing to launch a new mili- assault on Afrin “are com-
tary operation against the plete,” adding that an op-
main Syrian Kurdish militia, eration could start any mo-
known as the People’s De- ment. He said Turkish troops
fense Units, or YPG, in the are already firing artillery at
Kurdish-held Afrin enclave Afrin from the border.
in northern Syria. The YPG “Don’t stand between us
is the backbone of a Syrian and these herd of murder-
force that drove the Islamic ers. Otherwise, we won’t
State group from much of be responsible for the un-
northern and eastern Syria Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks to supporters of his ruling Justice and Development wanted incidents that may
Party (AKP), at a rally in Yozgat, eastern Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. Erdogan said Sunday the
with the help of U.S.-led air- country will launch a military assault on a Kurdish enclave in northern Syria “in the coming days,” arise,” he said.
strikes. and urged the U.S. to support its efforts. “Tear off the insignia you
Russia has also warned (Pool Photo via AP) have placed on the uni-
that the nascent U.S. force forms of the terrorists so
threatens to fuel tensions in Iraq and Syria. It would tion said in a statement to border force, according to that we don’t have to bury
around Afrin. be inappropriate for us to The Associated Press. “This the coalition. The force is them (U.S. soldiers) togeth-
“The United States has ad- comment on Mr. Erdogan’s will enable the Syrian peo- expected to be deployed er with the terrorists.”
mitted that it has created remarks,” the coalition said ple to establish effective along the borders of the A YPG spokesman in Afrin,
a terrorist force along our in an email to the Associ- local, representative gov- SDF-held areas and Iraq Rojhat Roj, said new Turkish
country’s border. Our duty ated Press. ernance and reclaim their and Turkey. reinforcements could be
is to drown this army of ter- The coalition said the new land.” The SDF currently Turkey sent troops into Syr- seen arriving at the border
ror before it is born,” Erdo- force, expected to reach controls nearly 25 percent ia in 2016 to prevent Syr- overnight.
gan said in a speech in An- 30,000 in the next several of Syrian territory in the ian Kurdish fighters from He said they removed parts
kara. years, is a key element of its north and east. forming a contiguous en- of the wall already built
The U.S.-led coalition de- strategy in Syria to prevent The core of the force is to tity along its border. It has along the border to allow
clined to comment on Er- the resurgence of the IS be made up of fighters also supported rival Syrian in new equipment.q

Russia slams US demands for Iran; Germany seeks more detail

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV more detail on what the world powers that saw Iran that the U.S. would pull out tional agreements.
GEIR MOULSON U.S. wants and analyze the accept curbs on its nuclear of the deal in a few months He particularly noted that
Associated Press situation with its European program in exchange for unless “terrible flaws” in the the dismantling of the Iran
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia partners. lifting international sanc- deal are fixed. nuclear deal would dis-
spoke out strongly Mon- Russian Foreign Minister Ser- tions. Lavrov called the new U.S. courage North Korea from
day against the U.S. push gey Lavrov warned that President Donald Trump demands to Iran “deplor- negotiating any future
for modifying a nuclear Moscow won’t support the on Friday kept the accord able,” saying they raise agreement to abandon
agreement with Iran, while U.S. demand for changes in alive by extending sanc- doubts about Washington’s its nuclear and missile pro-
Germany said it would seek the 2015 nuclear deal with tions waivers, but warned ability to observe interna- grams. q