Described by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as the biggest ISIS advance in the Aleppo Province in two years, the Islamist forces moved against rival rebels in the area along the Syria-Turkey border, pushing them back into a shrinking zone along the border and coming within just 3 miles of the key border town of Azaz.
Early in the civil war, Azaz was prized as one of the most valuable border crossings into Turkey, and was a key route through which many rebel factions got weapons and additional international fighters. More recently, however, Turkey has clamped down on the border.
That’s a big problem for the residents fleeing the ISIS advance, as they are increasingly clustering in and around Azaz, which is doubtless soon to be an ISIS target, and have no place to flee after that, with Turkey not letting anyone across the border.
Turkey has been faulted by human rights groups for its recent border crackdowns, noting that several incidents have seen Turkish border troops firing on refugees in northern Syria. Turkey has denied this, but reports of such incidents continue to grow.
What seems to be the real issue here? Is Turkey the issue, or is it the advance of ISIS? And how is this possible, if ISIS is not sheltered, armed, financed and protected by others — by commission or omission? The war on ISIS is an utter an abysmal failure, if not a criminal incompetence of US-led coalition. In six months of Russian intervention, Al-Qaeda that dominated the Western parts of the country was reduced to very small space — and chiefly because US coalition insisted on arranging a peace initiative around Aleppo to cover some “mixed” bag “rebels”, imbedded with Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra front. However, other then the liberation of Palmyra, Russia did not interfere with the skies over ISIS, that is, Eastern part of Syria and Turkish border. In fact, even getting close to that border got a Russian plane shot. However, it seems that following the withdrawal of the bulk of Russian bombers, it is back to the old tricks. Suddenly, ISIS is sneaking through its ribbon-like supply routes, and equally suddenly, Al-Nusra is getting bold around Aleppo, and ISIS is sneaking into otherwise peaceful towns and showing its true religious face by bombing bus stops and hospitals. DID NOT HEAR ANY CONDEMNATION IN WESTERN PRESS. Here and there, a report, always coupled with more imagined “regime” bad “behavior”.
So, what is this coalition doing? Just by pure accident enabling both ISIS and Al-Qaeda during the cease fire to resupply themselves, and to engage in reparation of the corridors damaged by Russian bombing? So, far, it seems that the only purpose of US coalition is to find a way to continue the bleeding of Syria — at all costs. And if it takes using Kurds where possible, or using ISIS and Al-Qaeda — no problem. For as long as the peace remains out of reach.
This plan B will of course result in other counter-reactions. What price do we pay for such abstinence? The long term regional damage to US interests is immense, as the roots of deep seated animosity to anything American will be impossible to reverse for a long time to come. The neocon obsessions, their quest for power at all costs, confuses their ideological need to dominate and coerce, with our national interest. What will it take to have these people fired?