Turkey Sends 25 Military Vehicles to Syria to Defend Observation Sites

4,560 vehicles have entered Syria since March

Tensions in Syria’s northern Idlib Province have brought yet more Turkish military vehicles across the border, a new convoy supposedly bound for observation posts that they are intended to shore up the defenses for.

The latest crossing was 25 more Turkish vehicles. The Syrian Observatory says 4,560 vehicles have entered Idlib since March, when Turkey and Russia reached a ceasefire. All are meant to control a handful of observation posts.

Turkey has a number of rebel allies in northern Syria, and those troops are no doubt there to support them against Syria as well, which is why Syria has opposed the presence of Turkish forces in their country.

Though Turkey hasn’t reported why they sent more troops right now, this comes after a UN Security Council vote which failed to get them multiple border crossings, and this may be a way to expressing displeasure.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.