The European Union asked Turkey to forgo any unilateral military action in Syria on Saturday 15 December, after Ankara has threatened a fresh offensive against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). “The statements of a possible Turkish military operation in northeast Syria are a source of concern,” Federica Mogherini said in a statement adding “we share the goal of ending violence, defeating terrorism and promoting stability in Syria and the wider region. We expect the Turkish authorities therefore to refrain from any unilateral action likely to undermine the efforts of the Counter-Daesh Coalition or to risk further instability in Syria”. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on 12 December that Turkey will launch a new operation in Syria within days against the YPG. The Pentagon reacted to the statement by warning that any unilateral military action in northern Syria would be “unacceptable”.