Syria rules out talks with Kurdish forces amid Turkish assault

Governor of Syria's northeastern province of Hasakah, Jayez Mousa, has ruled out the possibility of having talks with the Kurdish forces amid the ongoing Turkish assault in the northern region of the war-torn country, the state media reported on Sunday.

Syria's Watan newspaper quoted Mousa as saying that the negotiation with the Kurdish forces is unlikely "as they were the reason behind the current Turkish assault in northeastern Syria."

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) supported the US military presence in northeastern Syria, he noted.

The Governor's remarks come as Turkey forces on Wednesday launched a military offensive dubbed 'Operation Peace Spring' in northern Syria against the jihadists of Islamic State.

The Syrian government also accused the Kurdish forces of refusing to negotiate with Damascus and insisting on their separatist plan in northeastern and northern Syria, according to Xinhua news agency.

According to Mousa, the Turkish forces and their allies of Syrian rebels have captured the key city of Ras al-Ayn in Hasakah province with the collapse of the SDF fighters there.

A total of 21,400 families have been displaced from Hasakah as a result of the Turkish assault, he said, adding the SDF fighters are setting up mortar launchers in residential areas to "protect themselves."

The Turkish operation came after the withdrawal of the American forces from northern Syria, which was seen as a sign of abandoning the Kurdish forces that are considered as Washington's allies in fighting the Islamic State militants in Syria.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry has issued two statements since the beginning of the Turkish operation, accusing Ankara of targeting residential areas and causing deaths among civilians while holding the Kurdish forces responsible for the Turkish campaign.