some affiliated with iran, others with the pkk. a group fighting against turkey but also occupies territory in iraq. >> i don't know who to point to. there are so many forces, so many political tensions here. the security situation is not good enough these days because of the forces that are here now. people are scared because of the tensions between the forces. >> in october, an agreement to return control of security in the iraqi state was returned. this is the advisor to the kdp government. >> the aim with disagreement -- resistance to the forces which are outlawed organizations. they are outlaws they came from other countries. the fact they are recruiting others in the area is not mean they are an official force. >> complicating matters further was the fact that many groups are part of the popular mobilization forces, a collection of paramilitary considered to be state forces. under escort, we traveled to meet with one such faction. the resistance unit a group closely affiliated with the pkk. it's commander has rejected the cur

our government can't do anything in the face of turkey or the pkk. countries need to get involved. can't go on like this, but it will, as it always has. the curkurds have a proverb. no friend but the mountains, they say. >> and, rosemary, both the syrian and iraqi battle spaces are quite complex with multiple players and competing interests. add to all of this, of course, the coronavirus pandemic where we have cases rising in both of these areas that already have a very lacking medical infrastructure and that has also impacted on access to humanitarian aid. when it comes to the civilian populations in these areas, they're really feeling the brunt of multiple wars, whether it's actual fighting or whether it's the more invisible battle against covid-19. >> awful situation. arwa damon bringing us up to date from her vantage point in istanbul. many thanks. >>> still to come, what lifts off must splash down. the spacex capsule carrying two astronauts has returned safely to earth. the exciting details after the break. if your adventure... keeps turning into unexpected bathroom trips. you

ed marks escalation of its long conflict against the pkk.is not just the turkish ambassador was been seven. the ministry of foreign affairs as also summoned the iranian ambassador over similar operations that is going on in the north, and that is quite unusual, because iran is a country seen as welding quite a lot of influence over past governments here in iraq, and summoning the iranian ambassador is quite a departure from previous foreign policies and it signatures -- and it signals the new prime minister is trying to create an in treating all of iraq's neighboring countries at theyame way, insisting have to respect iraq's sovereignty. let's remember what happened during these operations. we had two separate events going on in the northern kurdistan region. one was an attack by turkey, which c constituted a airstriked a ground incursion and on the iranian border with iraq, we had artillery strikes against an area called --.-. we heard today that those strikereresulted i in one civiln casualtyty, as well as other peoplele being injured. amb

for decades the turkish state has been at war with the pkk, designated a terrorist organization. just by turkey, but also the eu and the united states. this is the largest air and ground offensive since the 1990s. turkey says it's just trying to protect its borders and stop the kurdish pkk fighters from moving into syria. in october of last year, turkey invaded neighboring northern syria going after a related kurdish group called the ypg, a sister organization to the pkk. what makes the situation so thorny is that the kurdish force turkey attacked in syria makes up the bulk of the fighting forces partnering with the u.s. in the battles against isis. the americans abandoned their kurdish allies, withdrawing from key positions. the turks swept in. tens of thousands of civilians fled. today turkey still occupies the border region, carrying out joint patrols with the russians and the americans. >> with the presence of different forces comes the complication of the need to deal with each one of them separately, which each of them also has its own goals. >> reporter: when it comes to t

our government can't do anything in the face of turkey or the pkk. countries need to get involved.will as it always has. the kurds have a proverb that arose from their history of betrayal and abandonment. no friend but the mountains they say. cnn, istanbul. >> no friend but the mountains. our thanks for that report. >>> tune in sunday to "state of the union" where our guests will include white house coronavirus task force coordinator dr. deborah birx, the majority whip of the house james clyburn, governor acea hutchinson of' are. and, of course, stacey abrams. it's 9:00 a.m. and noon only on cnn. you can follow me on twitter, on facebook, on instagram. you can tweet the show @thelead. thanks for watching. our coverage on cnn continues right now. >>> this is cnn breaking news. >> welcome to our viewers here in the united states and around the world. i'm wolf blitzer in "the situation room." we're following breaking news. the united states has just surpassed 4.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases as the world health organization now says it's had a record number of cases reported in

with friends but also wih the uniteded states becauause bh of them a are supporting pydyd g which is pkk syria branch and pkk is listed ass a a terrororit organization indeed recogninizes a terrorist organization in france.. and we believe that supportiting pyd ypg in the name of fighting dice that was a justification couple of years ago and now the dice b but has been mosostly eliminated as it was declarared by. the president of the united states but a number of other western allies they still continuee to supportt pyd ypg we have to then why do you did you. jan degree iraq's kurdish. in syryrup and that again. i do. thanank you at t te end of the calll unity with the that a all the arabs c come on muslim christian alibi t to need evererybody be at the at the negotiating table against the s. regime and its a- andd brutal- war- but you cannot to pick and choose one particular ethnic or ideological group- and tgive thehe some privileges it really undndermins all the efforts that you're putting together to keep city got together. at dition possiblen syria thehe c cake is agenda inn syria i

syria branch and pkk is listed as a terrororist organization and it.t. rececogne as a terrorist n nation in f fre i believe that supporting p. y. d. ji name of fighting didache that was the justification couple of years ago and nowow te didice thatt happepen mostlyly connecected a apps it was dececd by. the president of the united states by the number of an ally they stillll. support y. the why dodo we have to. s see what. ise gender is to create a lot production late into sunday againn the veryy i ia of siriuis totalmentete and the cold. you see l leave the car our c circln muslim okay inin. june the end of. the c create table i g get e s. demon is a. great i'm brutal. you can to pick and one third. i group and give them so proof ofof it really on old f. that you're to keep to o make a train possssible in syryria pkk is a m in in syria is clearly too ththeir own cessation of st rigt on right but of course we will not allow thahat because that that poses a national threat to our national security but alsoo it's on thehe minds of the basic goalal of u. n.

turkish group to drive isis out of iraq and out of syria, and then the turks equated the ypg to the pkkis a terrorist group, so it has made it more difficult for those people who are willing to fight and die to defeat isis. in libya, after nato went into get rid of qaddafi and we put in another government, the turks backed the general and his attempt to undermine the nato-recognized government. the turks also blamed a turkish american pastor for an attempted coup against erdogan when he had no role in it. there has been a lot of things going on and it does put the alliance in jeopardy, so it is important that when joe biden comes in, that these sanctions will get the turks back to the table and maybe move away from buying russian equipment. >> you could use these particular sanctions as leverage against turkey but many are concerned that this is something that could have far-reaching consequences to the point that it could even affect the nato alliance itself. >> you are this is where i -- you are right. this is where i differ from my colleague. there is a direct affect on the instituti

pkk's agenda is clear, t to cree their own secessionist state. we will not allow w that because that poses a national threat for our nationonal security.y. and it undermines s the basic gl ofof the u u.n. resolution 2254, which calls for syria's territorial integrity and unity. >> presidents erdogan and trump spoke a few days ago. it grew quite tense because turkey acquired russian s400 air defense system. they were supposed to be activating it in april. it did not happen. is this a sigh the relationship mightt be on the mend with washington?? >> our presidents have good relatitionship. they had a conversation ababout libya, syria, covid-19, bilateteral relatations. they said thehe goal of reaeachg $100 billion. wewe are working on all of these areas. we have disasagreements o over o the united s stes is supporting in syria. the s 400, i it came as a rerest ofof our many years of efforts o acacquire missssile-defense sts. unfortunatately nce the obobama presidency it did not happen. we have nono choice but to l lok for alternatives. our prpreside

disagreements not only with frfrance, but wiwh the united states, because both are supporting the peeps -- the pkk syria branch, whihich is listed as a terrorist organizazation in the e.e.u. ann france. we believe supporting them in the name of fighting daesh was a jujustification years ago, but w the threat has been mostly eleliminateded, as declareded bt onlyly t united d states, but a number of allies. continue to support the grgroup. ydypg wants to createe enclalave in syria, and that goes against unity. we believe that the kurdsds and christians need to be at the in stead oftabable, enengaging inn an aggressive and brutal warar. yoyou cannot pick and choose one particularar ethnic o or ideolol group andd give them some privileges. it undermines all ththe effortse are putting together r to keep syriria together, and make the transition impossible.e. agenda in syria is to create their own state, ththere enclave, but we will not alloww that because that poseses a thrt to our national security. it also undermines the basic 2254, of u.n. resolution which calls for syrian political coal unity and t

i really think people will be focusing on the health outcomes over the next month in the pkk's.ill know within the next month what the outcome will be. maybe in a month so you have a month of uncertainty. the market hates uncertainty. so investors need to be prepared for a lot of volatility between now and then. i just don't see us knowing any better. maria: macro put second-quarter gdp on an 8107. decline for their looking at contraction the second quarter. question is to be a contraction in third-quarter? they also expect a rebound in the second half of the year. i don't know if that means third or fourth quarter. they are not saying necessarily for what is the recession, but obviously second-quarter's going to be slow. you say take china out? take china out. >> you have to look at china. their health results are good now. but what is happening is a very slow back to work. it's not all at once. i'm seeing people get back to work, but not huge pent-up economic activity yet. i don't see that. i think you have to take china into account and if you look at the blend that altogethe

set up for thursday, and that is that erdogan also said that he is looking, that he has defeated the pkkand he listed a number of movements he has defeated, and he says now we're going to take down the syrian regime. damascus replied, saying it was looking forward to this confrontation with turkey. so despite the calls for a truce, ankara still says it will go after the syrian regime until the end. >> we will seeee what happens. thank you for that update from the turkish side of the border with syria. that syrian military efficiency has- offensive in idlib displaced hundreds of thousands of people. turkey says it can no longer handle the influx. since last week, it had begun allowing migrants to cross into europe. migrants on the turkish border with greece once again clashed with greek police and european authorities are scrambling to find a solution. ith clouds of tear gasas drifting acrososs the bordrder betwtween turkey anand greece, e situation is tense. over 13,000 migrants from multiple nations have amassed among the boundary of the turkey borders with the european union. with the

wih the united states because both of them are supporting pyd y ypg which is pkkkk syria braranch ad pkk is listed as a terrorist organization and eat recognize as a terrorist organized.. in france and we believe. in p. y. you. looook and nowow the daa hh been mostly in a as it was dicik by the president of the states but enough of the bebest ally days continue to suffer p. y. ypg we e have to understandyd ypg's main agenda is to create their own kurdish encnclave in syria and that goes against the very idedea of f syria's territoriaial integrity politicl unity we believe that allll the kurds arabs tururkomans muslim. christian i live i juni everybody should be at ththe a t the nenegotiating tabable againt thee assad regime and its aggressive and brutall u up war. but you cacan to pick and choose one particular ethnic or ideological groupup- and to give them some privivileges it really undermrmines all the efffforts t you' p putting togetherr to keep syria together. make a a transition possible in s syria cakeke is a jack. in in the area is it it's to create their own cessation of state

turkey has stepped up activities against the kurdish group the pkk. 0ne hears some pretty shocking reportsotten about syria, but if there were to be some kind of international incident in late august, so — a russian — there was russian—american kind of argy—bargy along the border. it could happen here and we really shouldn't take our eyes off the border between turkey, syria, and iraq. yeah, i was very struck by a syrian in london telling me on friday that the government has now introduced a kind of bond that syrians who want to go back to their country have to pay to be allowed to go home. i think it can only be paid in us dollars, because the syrian government is desperate for hard currency and of course, there's rationing as well of essentials which, again, is adding to the domestic pressure, and it is getting very cold and very bitter at night for those who can't get across the border. michael, thanks very much. steve, very much a lighter note but something that shines a bit of light on, well, what you might call "uk culture"? i mean, everything is dark. a friend of mine, the observer

turkey has stepped up activities against the kurdish group, the pkk, and we hear some pretty shockingnow, we are coming into october and we talk about x toba surprises and we talk about x toba surprises and everybody has forgotten about syria but if they were to be some kind of international incident in late august. —— october surprises. there was russian—american kind of argy— bargy along the there was russian—american kind of argy—bargy along the border, it could happen here and we really shouldn't take our eyes of the border between turkey, syria, and iraq. yeah, i was very struck by a syrian in london telling me on friday that the government has now introduced a kind of bond that syrians who want to go back to the country have to pay to be allowed to go home. i think it can only be paid in us dollars because the government is desperate for hard currency and of course there is rationing as well of course there is rationing as well of essentials which is adding to the domestic pressure and it is getting very cold and very bitter at night for those who can't get across the border. mi

you'll remember back to the days of 2016, 2017 when there was prevalence of attacks by isis and the pkk in turkey, the u.s. did suspend operations and it did also end up evacuating the family members of staff. america is taking this very, very seriously right now. erring perhaps on the side of caution, john. >> thank you for the important live reporting. you'll stay on top of that. >>> debates are over. 11 day sprint to election day. >>> first, california struggling with the worst wildfire season on record. for thousands that lost their homes, 2019 hero now working to provide them with rvs until they get back on their feet with the help of his daughter, he is helping communities recover. >> unfortunately the fire has effected a lot of first responders, six of the seven volunteer firefighters in barry creek, california lost their homes, including the chief. luna and i did what we do. we sourced a couple of donated rvs, headed out to california, we delivered one to chief reed rankin. >> i can't say thank you enough. i deeply appreciate it. won't be coming here at least another month and a

we can place in the turkish military pressure. >> if you know the us and turkey about designated the pkk as a terrorist organization. how do you assess statements from the syrian democratic forces during a recent interview published on novemberh mentioning the role of thousands of trained foreign elements within the ranks with ongoing consultations on this issue? and at what level? >> we absolutely believe it is a constructive step for all parties in northern syria. part of reducing tensions is a non- syrians need to leave syria. . . . . trying to get foreign elements to leave syria. >> i probably have time for one more. could you discuss our efforts to provide military and assistance that the people of northwest syria and what kind of coordination mechanisms are in place with turkey to accomplish that? >> thank you. we have a lot of ordination mechanms. i have a team, a start tm that helps oversee the implementation of the u.s. the delivery of laisseprograms into northern syria where the need is acute. we work with counterparts to do that and overcome the bureaucratic logistical hurdles

and theno see turkey go in and the pkk a designated terrorist organization within that but to seturkey come in and crush those very forces we worked with is disturbing as well. can you talk about the detention camps? and the threat of isys and i get reports aut these detention camps releasingsys members. >> thank you for raising this. those detention camps those who are known to be isys members the are detention facilities specialized with much greater security than a large number of those fiters many who are not from syria are from all over the world and ntral asia and that is a big problem. there are other camps for displaced people many of whom o have been on - - you have lead the campaign somewhere isys childreor the children of former isys families are a large number of women that were members of is that were held hostage there is a very large number of those and it's very conceing because the population as a whole is around 70000 people there are more than 30000 iraqis summer just shy of0000 syrians and those from other countries and it has been challenging to get the government

the pkk did it when they seized the tanker in general and that didn't amount to much area and general cartwright emphasized the idea that we need to not use the strategy of isolation and scrutiny but more of a reintegration of iran over time. and my question is how much can we do that, how much of that might comearound if we have a change of ministration in the united states . >> i think what happened in general or was maybe half-baked and as our friend john lindbergh who was a hostage in iran says, iran does not respond to pressure but it respondsto a lot of pressure . i believe that there should be no tolerance of iranian attacks and iranian interference in other countries in theregion . and i believe that i heard about what you said yesterday in the british media. i think that's a different european approach, that's a different european approach to iran's military presence anti-american one but the europeans, they really do not matter as much in its equilibrium. i think iran versus the us. and it is either in that region you either have to be in america or you have to be from iran.

, and they just ignored it needed to look into it at least, and theyjust ignored it and said it was pkke he gave voice to the oppressed and voiceless. he condemned the superpowers atrocities in vietnam and afghanistan, the us and soviet union at the time, he stood up against apartheid, against the franco is of our time, and he did it ina way franco is of our time, and he did it in a way that was heard, and you heard it all over the world. he used his voice, his freedom of speech, because he was not bound by nato, we we re because he was not bound by nato, we were not aligned militarily, so we could speak out more freely. he used that privilege of having to speak, being able to speak freely, but also doing it on behalf of the oppressed and the prosecuted, and at home here, also not to forget the series of reforms which changed sweden, modernised it, made it more equal. he spoke up for women's rates and the children's he spoke up for women's rates and the child ren's rights, he spoke up for women's rates and the children's rights, the child convention, for instance, which he supported to