DAMASCUS, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned the Turkish planned military offensive on Kurdish positions in northern and northeastern Syria, stressing the Syrian government's determination to confront the "Turkish aggression by all means," according to the state news agency SANA.
In a statement, the ministry said the Syrian government condemns the "aggressive intentions of the Turkish regime" as well as the Turkish military build-up near the Syrian border, which, it said, constitutes a "blatant violation to the international law."
This "aggressive behavior" exposes the "expansive ambitions" of Turkey in Syria, noting that the anticipated Turkish offensive cannot be justified under any pretext.
On the other hand, the statement assigned the blame on the Kurdish forces and held them responsible for the current situation, saying the Kurdish militias have been warned not to bet on the U.S. support to them and not to be a tool that serves the U.S. policies.
Meanwhile, the ministry said the Syrian government is determined to confront the Turkish aggression by all means, stressing that the door is left ajar for the Kurdish powers who want to "return to their senses" and reach deals with the Syrian government.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently said that Ankara was ready to launch military operations against the People's Protection Unit (YPG) and its allies of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the east of the Euphrates in northern Syria "at any moment."
Turkey sees the YPG and the SDF as separatists and terrorists, citing their links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
With the help of the U.S.-led coalition, the Kurdish militia forces have been controlling areas in northern Syria since the early years of the crisis in Syria, in order to force Damascus to recognize a federal rule or autonomy for the Kurds in northern Syria.
However, Syrian government officials repeatedly said that Kurdish federalization in Syria or self-rule is out of the question.
A day earlier, the Turkish forces shelled a position of the SDF in northern Syria without causing human losses, a well-informed Kurdish source told Xinhua.
The source, who is close to the SDF, told Xinhua on condition of anonymity, that the artillery shelling targeted an SDF position in the Ras al-Ayn area, known in Kurdish as Sari Kani, in the countryside of the northeastern province of Hasakah.
