Kurdish officials familiar with the situation are expressing concern about on ongoing Turkish military buildup in northern Syria, believing that Turkey is position forces around the Afrin District in Aleppo Province, a strategic area held by Kurdish YPG forces, is going to soon be attacked.
Turkey has launched airstrikes against Afrin in the past, but with the YPG so heavily focused on the invasion of the ISIS capital city of Raqqa, they don’t have the most substantial defense left behind in their own territory, and are concerned an attack would oblige them to shift forces away from Raqqa, losing the momentum they have in the area in favor of defending against Turkish forces.
Turkey hasn’t said anything about any imminent attacks, but has long threatened moves against the YPG as a “terrorist” group. The US has also confirmed they are “aware” of the Turkish troop movements, but declined to speculate on what they might portend.
The timing would be strange, as Turkey appeared placated by a US promise to disarm the YPG as soon as ISIS is defeated. They have, however, long resented the US decision to back the Kurds over them in attacking Raqqa, as Turkey suggested they and the US should launch the invasion without the Kurds involved.
Sorry, but this interpretation is far from reality. What Kurds are complaining about has NOTHING to do with the safety of Afrin Kurds. They are complaining now as neocons KNOW that Hillary plan using Kurds to conquer not just Raqqa city but the entire governirate all the way up to Iraqi border is NOT POSSIBLE,. Kobani Kurds do not have the numbers to control the territory. So, US is facing the real possibility of Syrian Army liberating wider area from ISIS — leaving smaller chunk of land in US hands if Kurds cannot control the ground. And they CANNOT. Not just gheir dmall numbers — but also as Arab villages and towns DO NOT WANT KURDISH tulers under US flag. US is still on track to nation build in “Kurdish” areas — and is trying to expand the area. But with no Kurds there, Syrian Army is welcome. And now we come to “poor” Acrin Kurds. The cortidor that Turkey established from its border to the town of Al-Bab is established to PREVENT AFRIN KURDS taking over the Turkish border areas, and connecting to Kobani Kurds in a contiguous state. With PKK on the other side of border Turkey could not allow that all the Arab and Turkmen towns and villages be wiled out and Kurds from both sides of border unite. Turkey was staring at the complete isolation from the Middle East, with Kurds in Iraq and Syria , as well as Kurds in Turkey controlling all access. US made many promisses, and broke them. US promised solemnly that Kurds were going to withdraw from Manbij — where Arabs and Turkmen are majority, not Kurds. Instead, Kurds did ethnic cleansing and are still there. US promised to disarm Kurds after ISIS is defeated in Raqqa governorate — but WHO THEN would be the occupying authority in the region? Will US plant an imaginary Arab NATO flag and force these Syrians to live under occupation like Kosovo — until Kurds consolidate their power to declare independence? But a huge problem has arisen. Kurds are spread fhin. They can twke Raqqa, as most ISIS already migrated to fight Syrian Army st Deir Azzor. SO, THEY ARE TRYING TO BAMBOOZLE TURKEY AGAIN — by trying to organize iffencive by Afrin Kurds to cut thtough the Turkish controlled corridor. Turkey mived reinforcements inside the corridor, as Kurds In Manbij are still a threat and may join Afrin Kurds breakout by attacking from both sides. This is one of the key reasons for blickading Qatar. With Turkey being Qatar ally, and Turkey moving into Russia-China-Iran orbit — and being one of the guarantors of Astana process — Turkey has crossed neocon red line. So — what better way to punish it, but to attack it in Syria using “poor” Kurds as an excuse. It seems that neocons just do not care how many firty deeds they committ. After all, the world will just hate American people. And neocons hate us even more. As Trump is getting slapped on every turn — they are grtting bolder. But still there is an unanswered question. After ISIS collapses, and Kurds being unable to cover Syria-Iraq border, WHO will do peace keeping until Syria can organize vote under a political settlement. Turkey would have been ideal as population does not hate them, while majority Kurdish areas could get security guarantee by US and promise of autonomy. Now, they are stretched thin and hated.
Turkey was very amenable to listening to US guarantees. But any game playing to try go get deinforcements from Afrin will be dealt with. It does not help that US partner KSA is isolating Qatar from food and water, and demanding that Turkish base leaves.
All is not well any more between nominal ATO allies, Turkey and US.
“The timing would be strange, as Turkey appeared placated by a US promise to disarm the YPG as soon as ISIS is defeated.” – hahahaha yep that’ll happen.
The same pattern keeps repeating, first at Mosul, now at Raqqa …..
An incredibly slow buildup to an attack
Escape routes left for IS fighters to go somewhere else.
Of course, the western media doesn’t report this. They report all the bragging about how a US puppet is going to take a city. They report nothing at all about the escape routes being left open. Somehow, in the middle of an open desert, IS is able to move its forces back and forth between cities without the US bombing them. But, the western puppet media does not report when Russian planes do attack one of these convoys. Which I guess just means they can’t find a way to spin the deaths of a bunch of IS fighters into some sort of war-crime claim against Putin.