US-backed Kurdish YPG forces in Syria’s Afrin District are getting support from a surprising front amid Turkey’s threat to invade the region, as Syria’s Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad warned the national government would view Turkey’s attack on Afrin as an attack on the entire nation.
Mekdad says that Syria’s Air Force is ready to react to any incursion of Turkish warplanes and bombers, and would destroy them for violating Syrian airspace, and would react to any violations of sovereignty.
YPG forces control about a quarter of Syrian territory, and envision having a substantial level of autonomy after the Syrian War. Turkey insists the YPG are terrorists, however, and says they will never accept the YPG holding any border regions.
Since the YPG’s territory is pretty much all on the Turkish border, Turkey envisions ousting them from all of it, starting with Afrin, then hitting Manbij, and eventually the rest.
It’s unsurprising Syria would object, despite not having the best relationship with the YPG, since Turkey has made a point of installing Islamist rebels into territory they’ve “liberated” in Syria, and the Syrian government clearly doesn’t want the rebels to suddenly gain massive amounts of territory over this dispute.
Has Syria told Israel the same thing?
No because this is a tribal issue for Syria, Iran’s Shiite militias didn’t come to Syria to help keep Assad in power to lose it’s influence to Turkey and it’s Sunni Muslim president Erdogan. Syria is emboldened because it has the momentum and I truly think this is something Assad sees is in his best interest. I think he would rather have the Kurds on his borders than have Sunnis in control of his borders knowing they could create there own autonomous region and Erdogan could say he would protect his Sunni Muslim people where ever they are from oppression and aggression. This is the type of Pandora’s box Putin has brought upon our world. If you’re a smaller nation that borders a more powerful nation and your border is full of say Russians that live in Ukraine just use your influence, a mis-information campaign, hybrid warfare, or in this case your more powerful military to carve out a piece of your smaller neighbors territory and there you go. Erdogan knows just like Putin knows there will always be ignorant people who will twist themselves into a pretzel and make every excuse that defies logic on an Anti-war site to help spin there narrative and muddy the waters for them. I think it’s karma that now Syria, Russia’s client state is experiencing the same thing Ukraine is in respect to there sovereignty and it’s more powerful neighbors military is using the same tactics to destabilize Syria. You reap what you sow.
What in the f**k does that garbage have to do with his question?
It’s a tribal issue was the answer Syria is doing what it has to do in order to keep Iran’s Shiite Muslim influence was the answer everything else was insight. I know it’s hard for you to accept a different narrative without the America is evil spin but, it is what it is.
He asked if Syria had warned Israel also. You know, since Israel’s warplanes have already invaded recently. And yet you did an anti Putin tirade instead of answering his question. Do you have comprehension problems?
No that’d be you an over aggressive moron that parrots the talking points of Supreme leaders and human gods born on magical mountains.
Good response. You didn’t address anything I said as usual. Thank you for making my point.
Yes, and Syria may have already shot down a couple of Israeli F-16 drones that entered their airspace.
Israeli manned warplanes usually fire in from outside the border, Israel has never sent in large numbers of regular army troops across the border, and this is so despite having the unconditional backing of the U.S. and Assad having little means to actually fight Israel effectively on the ground alone.
Syria has no choice but to protect its citizens, even the dubiously loyal Kurdish ones, or lose governance legitimacy in the North.
Unlike Russia and Iran, Turkey is not invited by the Assad government to come in and shoot things up.
Israel has flown it’s military aircraft right over Assad’s palace in Syria. Trust me Assad doesn’t want anything to do with a new war with Israel. Turkey is capable as well but, may be persuaded by Putin. Erdogan and Putin are frenemies only time will tell.
Since Israel is always bailed out by the U.S. and Syria is fighting a civil war/invasion, of course Syria does not want war with Israel.
However the last time Israel was confirmed as buzzing Assad’s palace was during the 2006 Gaza invasion. Allegedly they are now playing with the new F-35s the American taxpayer bought them, but its just rumours so far.
The point is though, Israel is not threatening to invade Syria the way Turkey is, and, Syria can halfways defend itself against the conventional air power Turkey now possesses. Unlike Israel, Turkey does not have nearly as sophisticated American electronic warfare systems to protect their aircraft..