Early Monday morning, five Turkish soldiers were reported killed in fighting with the Syrian military in the Syrian town of Taftanaz. The town is in rebel-dominated Idlib Province, which Syria is looking to reclaim.
As in previous confrontations, Turkey responded with massive military retaliation against Syria. Turkey reported hitting 115 targets in Syria, all government sites. The Turkish Defense Ministry added that 101 Syrian soldiers were killed.
In addition to killing the soldiers, Turkey hit a Syrian government helicopter, destroyed three tanks and two artillery pieces. They also reportedly hit some air defenses in the area.
Turkey has been eager to engage in massive military engagements to keep northern Syria from being totally reclaimed by the Syrian government, even if that means fighting to keep al-Qaeda under control of some territory.
This comes after weekend deployments by Turkey of more forces into Idlib Province, specifically because they envisioned a new military confrontation. They clearly weren’t waiting, and the confrontation was almost immediate, reflective of Turkey putting its troops into areas that are being contested.
Turkey doesn’t want a war with Syria, Turkish army hasn’t fought an won a battle in years. Turkey has a large standing army but Syria has a highly effective fighting force seasoned from 8 years of fighting.
So Turkey struts and postures on the border while mercenaries keep a buffer between them and Syrian fighters.
I would think Syria might be getting worn down . No doubt Syrians have lost a lot of good men . The last thing Syria needs is a aggressive Turkey coming in to help the terrorists to hold small towns to protect trouble makers from surrendering
It is not this simple, Turkish and Syrian intelligence chiefs met recently in Moscow, openly. The process we see is a means of squeezing Sl-Qaeda between Turkish forces pouring in, and advancing Syrian army. Who are they going to invite to protect them from bad Damascus?
Does it not sound familiar — YPG Kurds turned towns to Syrian Army, fearing Turkish advance. Only then, it was Syrian Army reportedly striking Turkish position — to protect Kurds. Those same Kurds that worked with US before. But the goal was disarming and Turkish border control by Russia and Turkey.
In Idlib, local militants will turn in to Turkey. I am sure UK will take their White Helmets, and assorted foreign contingent. UK has plenty of places to send them to.
Syria is no match for Turkey. Russia should interfere and assist the Syrians by liberating their own country from terrorists. That is their inalienable right as a sovereign country under international law. Turkey is the aggressor here. Refugees fleeing the violence should be channeled to the south into Syria and assist in the defence/liberation or the rebuild of their country.
There is no evidence this actually happened. Russia controls the airspace over Idlib. After Syria struck Turkish troops setting up artillery from which they could attack Syria troops with… this wild boast came out in response. There has been no confirmation of this from the Syria or Russian governments. This reeks of a face saving measure
Very possible. Who the hell knows what’s going on over there…
It is by far more than that. Turkey is the only participant in this war that could take over command over many formerly Pentagon and CIA groups , as well as Saudi Salafi groups. But that was an easy part as those groups found out to their dismay that US anointed Kurds as inheritors of ISIS occupied places. Which meant that their own families were twice losers. First from ISIS then Kurds. Turkey got their loyalty.
But in Idlib, while some groups were willing to split from Al-Qaeda, and take advantage of Turkey’s check points — Al-Qaeda is holding on fast to some groups.
Lets talk about Al-Qaeda. It is at this point fully Western supported outfit. White Helmets are the primary funding mechanism, so money can go in openly. The militants are mostly foreign, and they would have loved to ditch Al-Qaeda provenance — but they cannot. This has caused an impasse, as Turkey was getting nowhere in dislodging these Western stooges. In fact, the value of Idlib is to slow down peace process, to make it harder to finalize Constitution draft, snd move on. US and UK are holding on here, in order to insure that eventually they get a place at the table in Geneva.
When the intelligence chiefs of Turkey and Syria met for the first time openly in Moscow, it was clear that a plan was afoot.
What seems to be happening is a two prong action — Syria is chipping away at Idlib towns and roads, while Turkey is moving in troops from the area they currently control. Turkey is planning a base there. It begs a question — what is the status of Al-Qaeda forces. It cannot strike out into Government territory, and it cannot breach Turkish defenses and reinforcements. While Turkey is ostensibly holding bad Syria back from outright overrunning Idllib after chopping it up in sections — Turkey is in fact blocking Al-Qaeda from having any maneuvering room towards Turkish border. This will greatly complicate arms supply now done under the guise of humanitarian aid. In fact, UN aid is executed by a number of countries. One of them is UAE. UAE is via its ownership of Air Serbia brought in East European weapons via Belgrade, and then having them shipped through Turkish checkpoints into Idlib, ostensibly to White Helmets. Now, in the name of protecting Idlib from Syrian Army, Turkey has plugged the transport — and is checking all cargo.
As Syrian Army will continue chiseling at Idlib key towns, and Turkey standing firm preventing any Al-Qaeda maneuvers to the north and West — with more Turkish forces coming in, I suspect a deal will have to be cut. British and US project must decide — letting Assad take Idlib piece by piece, or letting Al-Qaeda turn idIib over to Turkish control. This may allow for foreign contingent to leave, leaving only local groups that Turkey can turn into militants under its control.
For that to happen, the good cop/bad cop must be working properly. While the US/UK managed leadership knows very well the game, and would not give an inch — the appeal of turning in to Turkey is high among fighters. They know that sitting in Idlib means more lives lost, as opposed to just changing uniforms and taking Turkish orders. Many of them may want to take Turkey’s offer of going to Libya, as the local population knows of their crimes, and do not wish to stay, while US or UK will not want them. Idlib population living under hostage conditions — would be thrilled at the prospect of Turkish Army takeover.
Why the need to take Al-Qaeda down gently? Because of the civilian population that Al-Qaeda and White Helmets abused and used as human shields.
It even made it to NY Times. The way White Helmets secured militants positions, their arms depots, and command centers — is by giving to UN list of coordinates of schools and hospitals. Even NY Times wondered why these coordinates were never verified. So, as you know, Russia bombed many such schools and hospitals.
How will it play out, who knows. But it was clear that Russia was bombing their positions , while Syrian Army took hundreds of villages. The handwriting was on the wall. Turkey blocked them from moving outside current confines. They have to either be defeated by Syrian Army, or give up to Turkey. There is an off chance of Al-Qaeda striking at Turkey, just to make it harder. That would be suicidal — as Turkey is ostensibly helping ONLY non-Al-Qaeda groups, and can does not support Al-Qaeda.
Ad messy as this is — I do not think that rank and file want to continue fighting if a big protector is here to stay. And population will exert the pressure. Negotiating White Helmets will want a role in Constitutional committee. Turkey may agree to anything in order to demilitarize the region. After that, another day.
I am really curious how long will this last. this
Erdogan lies more than Trump or Nutty Yahoo. A pox upon him.
“The Turkish Defense Ministry added that 101 Syrian soldiers were killed.”
I’m always curious as to how one side can say how many they killed from the other side. Especially a specific number like “101” and not approximately 100 or some such thing.
They don’t. If it happened at all those numbers are total BS.
You can be sure the number they give, is exactly not the real number.
They subconsciously said 101 because they have excess copies of 101 Dalmatians floating around in Turkey.
I doubt these Turkish claims are true. However, if they are, they are in big trouble. That is over the line.
looks like Turkey is taking over when the US left off . Only Turkey would rather partner more with Al Qaida than the Kurds
This is the third time Ditz is parroting Turkish nonsensical propaganda for domestic consumption without a shred of evidence. What’s the point? Turkey are supporting and flying the flag of their Uighur and Uzbek terrorist proxies (HTS) in Idlib. But without air support they’re extremely vulnerable to the Russian and Syrian air force’s, which 25 Turkish soldiers and their supply to their jihadist proxies, some 15 tanks, clearly shows.