In a visit Tuesday with US special representative for Syria James Jeffrey, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar demanded that all Kurdish militants factions leave Syria immediately and permanently.
This is roughly in keeping with Turkey’s general hostility toward Kurds in general, and the YPG in particular. They have never before explicitly called for the Kurdish factions to “abandon” Syria entirely, however, and it’s not clear where they’d conceivably go.
The timing is also strange, as Turkish officials have been exclusively focused on Idlib Province lately, not the Kurds, and the meeting with Jeffrey was supposed to be a chance for Turkey to push the US to intervene in Idlib to save Turkish-backed Islamist rebels.
Turkey has been pushing for the US to distance itself from the Kurds, especially the YPG, throughout the Syrian War. With the YPG controlled substantially all of Syria’s northeast, there is no realistic possibility they’ll leave the country outright.
Odd, how I thought I saw a comment by Rick?Rozoff flash on my screen before th
It is really become an exercise in futility — but when wil the analysts covering Syria understand that Turkey has been working with Russia and Iran overtly ever since 2016 coup? That they all have different roles, is something that must be done. Turkey never really funded islamic militants fir the sake of changing Damascus regime. From day one, before Russian intervention, Turkey knew the US playbook. To weaponize whatever militant potrntisl there is. but chiefly to wesponize Kurdish secessionism, and expand Kurdish control along border region between Syria and Turkey, and Syria and Iraq. Turkey knew that such “autonomy” meant US control of any transit and trade from Europe across Turkey to the entire Middle East, Egypt and North Africa. And by weaponizing Kurdish autonomy in Syria adjacent to Turkish Kurds — the covert aid and arms going to Turkish Kurds, would become overt. As Saudi Arabia is part of the plan, Turkey and Qatar funded militants aling the border to lay the claim on that region, and orevent US from using its proxies to claim it. Before Russia intervened, Turkey was in its own, trying to appease US, but getting nothing in return. Political thrmoil in Turkey at the time aimed at ousting Erdogan, thus our neocon press demonized him to no end, making it sound as if he was the sole sponsor of terrorists. But after US failed to topple Assad Us was dissatisfied with local militants, their focus on local issues and anymosity, not working together to topple Damascus. This is why ISIS was needed, to use brutal islamism, and scare population into obeying them. Soon, like on cue, ISIS captured a string of border towns and villages, the ones US wanted Kurds to take and connect Kobane on the east with Kurdish Afrin region on the west. ISIS captured strategic Al -Bab, and Manbij. The transparent plan was in operation. ISIS beat Turkish supported groups, snd executed many. Then, US put the plan into action: ISIS was pushed out of Manbij — but the town was given to Kurds to lord over it, not to its Arab population. Arabs were forced to swear allegiance to Kurds, and join so called “Syrian Democratic forces. Turkey, with Russian assistance, came into Syria and best back ISIS along birder, creating a large corridor from Jarubulus to Al-Bab, and took the town with major loses due to ISIS good intelligence supplied no doubt by US. Russia came overtly into the battle flying jointly with Turkish airforce. The cooperation with Russia continued in order to destroy YPG in Afrin. Damascus and Russia played good cops here, to teassure Kurdish population, but have certainly approved if the operation once Afrin YPG refused Russian iffer for them to integrate back into Syria and alliw Syria to ckntrol borders. The key — stop arms snd supplies smuggljng from Turkush Kurds trhrough Afrin YPG — to AlNusra in Idlib. Before that, they smuggled it all the way to Aleppo. Now, the roles are reversed. Turkey is playing good cop, Russia and Damascus — bad cop. Turkey and Russia actually agree on civilian plan. Following two orevious successful plans for Aleppo and East Goutha. The offensives always start ftom multiple vulnerable points, until defences are stretched, and when opportunity presenrs itself, a chunk is separated from the rest. And do on, until natural corridors are created aling preexisting Turkish/Russian check points. The militants can wait till they are chopped up in pockets, or can accept Turkey as their chosen peacekeeper, as Jaish-Al-Islam already did. But A-Qaeda is choke full of US allies slies and operatives, ready to obey US orders. And the plan is now to stay put. US is spinning Turkish calls for political solution, to make it appear that it is working with Turkey in suppkrt of Idlib militants! This is pure fantasy. US is offering Turkey moon snd the stars, all Indian promises — in irder to protect Al -Qaeda in Idlib. But Turkey is used to lies, coup organizers, terror acts in the country, being blamed for trading oul with ISIS, and not be given Patriot defence by NATO, at US urging. Basically, Turkey is not taking US orders. It just happens that Turkey is calling for “peacefull” resolution, which means accepting Turkey as peacekerper until peace settlement. This suits Russia and Damascus. If terrorist lay down arms, and Turkish peacekeepers take over, this may be a face saving solution for Washington. But knowing neocons — once Turkey offered them anything, they wanted more. I am sure US demsnded that SDF —American Kurdish project to be part of peacekeeping. Which would prompt Turkey to remjnd US if its promise to remove Kurds from Manbij. And now, raising stakes a bit higher — take all your Kurd fighters with you.
Nothing has changed in relationship. Turkey, Russia and Iran are guarantors of peace, US does not want to exit. The last chance — Idlib Al -Qaeda, and the movie making abilities if White Helmets.
The only ones supporting terrorists in Syria are Turkey.
As a Bosnian shouldn’t you show a bit more gratitude to the country (USA) that saved your sorry ass from the Serbs?
Seriously? If you wish to be taken seriously, act as an adult. Only neocon press kept on poundjng for years about bad Erdogan supporting terrorists. This is a standard neocknese psychopathy. In irder to get him out of power, everything has been tried — including blaming Turkey for TURKISH Kurds dealing with ISIS and other Islamists in oil and weapons.
US has never hid the triumph of hsing Al-Qaeda to oust Soviet supported government out of Afghanistan. Just as tiday, proudly supported Al-Qaeda butchers in Aleppo, with “mainstream” media shedding tears iver their demise. Today, with all the might — it us US and West that are crying humanitarian tears iver Al-Qaeda in Idlib. As for Bosnia, you lost me. I have no gratitude to offer. As far as I know, Bosnia is still a mess as it was at the end of last century. Everything US gets involved in, gets messier, our involvement is for ever, and our payments to warmongers — endless.
Personal insults (in this case imagined) can never be substitute to knowledge.
You’re not Bosnian? Strange coincidence you write fluent Bosnian in other posts then… I think someone is telling lies Bianca. And yes, it’s you…
In fact your whole post is pretty much lies. The Russians even have proof that Erdogan was dealing with ISIS terrorists in order to empower them against the regime and the Kurds. Turkish enmity to those they see as ‘others’ (particularly Kurds, as this article mentions) is known by everyone except the blind.
Are they demanding ethnic cleansing? Or are these Kurds from elsewhere whom the Turks want to send home?
But those Kurds are from Syria… Although the Assad regime refused to recognise them as such and always treated them as second class to Arabs.
Bet he’s regretting that now.
You are lost. Kurds were always a priviledged minority in Syria, ever since French colonization of Syria. Assads did not change that very much, even though Arabs had many grievances against Kurds. But to be fair, Kurds did not serk to separate themselves from Damascus at the beggining if this terrorist infested mauling of Syria. In fact, Kurds in Kibane region paid dearly for their ambvivalence. ISIS attack on Kobane was vicious, hundreds if civilian hostages were taken, and since Assad army was overstreched — Kurds were left to fend for themselves. This is where US came in with an offer Kurds could not refuse. Work with YS — or else. But Afrin Kurds were in the meantime making themselves rich — by smuggling weapons and everything else to Islamist groups along Turkish border, snd deeper into Syruan territory in the West. Aleppo, Idlib and many central regions were supplied that way. Hint, hint — the smuggled supplies dud not come from Turkey, but from US and allies, as now, uncontrolled border made it possible to ship anything into Kurdish Turkey and then along border controlled by Kurds on bith sides into Syria. This came to an end ince Turkey took iver Jarabulus and cut corridor to Al -Bab. Then, by defeating YPG Kurd forces in Afrin, border was sealed there as well. All now remains is the border with Kobane Kurds, and Manbij.
I do not think Turkey will allow Kurds controlling both sides of border.
One day, US and allies will be facing the dillema — chose between its pisitions in Kobane region, and the Islamists last stand in Idlib. Idlib cannot be supplied any more, ither then fhrough UN. This is terrorists last lifeline. As for Kurds — Afrin has a standing invitation to rejoin Damascus government, and Turkey would leave. US ha NO forces there. But all if it is now academic, until Idlib is settled — and US left only in Kibane Kurd region, as well as many Arab towns in Ruphrates valley where they are nit wanted.