Russia will host a meeting of intelligence and defense chiefs from Turkey, Syria, and Iran on Tuesday as part of an effort to work toward the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced the planned meeting that will be held in Moscow and said the goal is to “find a solution to the existing issues through talks and ensure peace and tranquility in the region as soon as possible.”
Russia’s efforts to broker a normalization deal between Turkey and Syria started at the end of December when the Syrian and Turkish defense ministers met for the first time since 2011. The talks were followed up with a meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Turkey and Syria, which was held in Moscow earlier this month.
A Turkish-Syrian rapprochement would be a significant development toward ending the war in Syria as Ankara has been a staunch supporter of groups that took up arms against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Turkey currently occupies areas of northern Syria and has focused its recent military operations against the Kurdish-led SDF, which is backed by the US. Assad has said that any normalization deal with Turkey must result in the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria.
Saudi Arabia is also working toward normalizing with Damascus and recently sent its foreign minister to meet Assad in Damascus. The US is against regional countries upgrading their ties with Syria as the Biden administration prefers to keep the country isolated under crippling sanctions and wants to continue occupying eastern Syria.
The Biden Admin. is looking like a bunch of a—holes.
That’s because a bunch of a–holes is what they are.
Yes ,but a bunch of anuses pursuing their own agendas.
I got a strange visual on that Jake and thank you, I think?…
Worse. Just really, really stupid folks, right there.
Turkiye is holding an election on May 14 and are rounding up Kurds because it doesn’t look good for President Tayyip Erdogan.
Perhaps his upcoming election is being talked about?
(from a Saudi source so who knows the bias?):
DIYARBAKIR: Turkish police detained 110 people over alleged militant ties, security sources said on Tuesday, with a pro-Kurdish lawmaker saying politicians, lawyers and journalists were among those arrested in raids that he linked to elections on May 14.
The security sources said the operation was focused on Diyarbakir, the largest city in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkiye, and extended over 21 provinces, targeting people accused of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group.
The operation came less than three weeks before presidential and parliamentary votes that represent the biggest electoral challenge President Tayyip Erdogan has faced since his AK Party first came to power in 2002.
“On the eve of the election, out of fear of losing power, they have resorted to detention operations again,” Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Tayip Temel said on Twitter.
He said tens of politicians, including top members of his party, journalists, artists and lawyers were among those detained in Diyarbakir on Tuesday morning. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2292496/middle-east
April 1, 2012: “We think Bashar must go,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told ABC Today after attending the one-day Friends of the Syrian People conference in Istanbul, Turkey. “The sooner the better for everyone concerned.”
Clinton said the United States has agreed to pledge an additional $12 million for a total of $25 million in aid and to provide communications equipment to help the Syrian Free Army organize.
Turkey was NOT a staunch supporter of groups fighting Assad. Repeat — NOT.
Turkey had to deal wiith a multi-layered problem. Early in the conflict, Damascus military lost control of its borders. Israel was funding Islamic movements near Golan Heights, Saudis were supporting Salafi Islamists in Central Syria and along Euphrates. Saudis also supported Sunni rebellion among Iraqi recugees in Syria. US Pentagon supported “vetted” rebels among Sunni Islamists under banner of “Free Syrian Army”, State Department in the meantime funded Kurds, but only those associated with Turkish PKK, called YPG in Syria. UK supported Nusra Front and associated White Helmets. They controlled Idlib and good part of Aleppo.
By 2015 a new, pro-American Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayaf helped consolidate many disparate Sunni groups into ISIS, led by Wahhabi clergy, rapidlyvestablishing control over parts of Syria and Iraq.
Turkey was in danger by both ISIS Sunni extremism as well as Kurdish coallition on both sides of Turkish -Syrian border.
Turkey has immediatelly started to peel off Free Syrian Army that was abandoned by Pentagon, incorporating them into their mikitary under new unuform and command. This new military helped them free town Jarabulus on the border and help push and defest ISIS all the way up to Al-Bab.
The reason Free Syrian Army was willing — it was in danger of losing their Syrian land to ISIS mercenaries and Kurds. Turkey attracted them as they lost American sponsor and could not protect their own turf.
Russia entered Syria and started targetting ISIS and Nusra Islamists. US forces had to make up their minds. Obama pretended to fight ISIS, but in reality used ISIS as a place-holders for Kurdish takeover of Syrian Arab territory. Such was place called Manjib.
From that point on Russia and Turkey coordinated mikitary efforts. When YPG refused to turn Afrin over to Damascus, Turkey fought YPG and took control of Afrin.
Further inroads into Idlib was achieved by coopting many Islamist groups to get under Turkish command. Problem remained Nusra Front, having lost Aleppo they renamed themselves into HTS, and threatenef Turkey with refugees from Idlib.
It was solved by Turkey, Russia and Damascus forces practically surrounding Idlib. HTS is still there controlling several Islamists grouos, But isolated.
But British pulled out White Helmets. No propaganda use of them any more.
With Trump pulling out US troops from most of Deir Azzor, Raqqa and Kobane areas — Kurds cut deal with Damascus and Russia. YPG was dismanled. Russia and Turkey still jointly patrol stretch of border from Jarabulus to south of Kobane. Civilian Kurdish admin in Kobane works with Damascus.
But YPG militants had been recruited into US funded Kurd militia, SDF. They exclusively work in US controlled areas. Iran has presence but only and exclusively as Assad’s forces in predominantly very vulnerabme Allawi areas.
At present, only HTS controlled groups in Idlib and US controlled Al-Tanf and oil fields including nirth of Hassakah – – are out of Turkish-Russia -Syrian control.
The meetings betwern Turkey, Syria, Iran and Russia is to move forward consolidating Damascus rule. One thing on the table is control of Afrin, With YPG gone, Turkey can relinquish its control to Damascus, so border can be jointly secured. Another area is Jarabulus to Al-Bab. This is where bulk of former Free Syria Army was. And turnover may have to be gradual. Patrols on borders will continue, as US sponsored Kurdish SDF is prone to adventurism and link-up to Turkish PKK.
Same problem exists in Iraqi Kyrdish territory controlled by PKK.
As Assad’s armed forces take over areas from Turkey. it will formally pave way to Syrian-Turkish diplomatic relations.
If anyone thinks that Danascus and Russia were not completely in agreement with Turkey over operations in Syria – think again. Turkey secured Syrian borderlands from tajeover by Saudi sponsored ISIS and US sponsored Kurds.
As palace coup in Saudi Arabia appointed MBS and removed MBN in June 2017, ISIS lost Saudi Wahhabi sponsorship and crumbled within months in Mosul, iraq, and later in Raqqa, Syria.
The only “ISIS in the desert” we keep on hearing about — are paid militants hanging on in former refugee camp within Al-Tanf area.
Very useful, as our not too bright media needs stories of US fighting “ISIS” in Syria.