U.S. does not want to see military operations in northwest Syria: White House

The United States does not want Turkey to pursue military attacks in northwest Syria, even if it recognises Turkey's right to defend itself, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday.

Turkey has ramped up its shelling and air strikes on northern Syria in recent weeks and has said it is preparing for a possible ground invasion against Syrian Kurdish fighters that it dubs terrorists but who make up the bulk of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

"We don't want to see military operations conducted in northwest Syria that are going to put civilians at greater risk than they already are, put in peril our troops and our personnel in Syria, or our counter ISIS (Islamic State) mission," Kirby told reporters.

The SDF, which helped defeat the Islamic State group in Syria, said on Friday it had stopped all joint counter-terrorism operations with the United States and other allies as a result of Turkish bombardment on its area of control.

The U.S. military has confirmed the pause in operations.

The SDF has long warned that fighting off a new Turkish incursion would divert resources from protecting a prison holding IS fighters or fighting IS sleeper cells still waging hit-and-run attacks in Syria.

The Turkish bombardment, using both long-range weapons and air strikes, has frustrated its NATO ally Washington.

The United States recognizes that Turkey has a right to defend itself, especially against terrorism, Kirby said.

"We recognize the threat that the Turkish people are under, but we don't believe that ... this idea of military operations in northwest Syria is the best way to get at that threat," he said.

There are signs Turkey may consider postponing its operation in Syria, amid efforts by the United States and Russia to avert a Turkish offensive they both do not want for different reasons. However, Ankara has reportedly placed conditions before accepting any US or Russian plans.

The issue is expected to be addressed in crunch meetings in Istanbul with Russian and US delegations this week.

According to media reports, Russia could refloat a proposal from 2019 stipulating the SDF would move 30 km away from the border area, to be replaced by Syrian regime forces. However, Washington rejects any alterations to the current status quo and is seeking to convince Ankara to pause its operation in return for guarantees that may include restricting the SDF in a manner satisfactory to the Turkish side.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources quoted in The New Arab's Arabic sister publication Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Ankara has no new conditions but is reiterating its consistent position demanding the US and Russia both agree to a 30 km zone straddling the Turkish-Syrian border be "free of armed elements affiliated to the Kurdish units, removing all PKK leaders from the area, and working with local forces to govern these regions".

The talks with the United States and Russia, the sources added, should either end up approving Turkey's demands or else a timeline for a new military operation will be activated.

The regions Turkey could execute an incursion into fall under both US (Manbij-Ain al-Arab east of the Euphrates) and Russian influence zones (Tel Rifaat, west of the Euphrates), complicating Ankara's efforts.