A Turkish army tank stationed near the Syrian border, in Suruc, Turkey, Sept. 3, 2016. (AP Photo)
On October 30, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey had finished preparations for a large-scale counter-terrorism operation in the area east of the Euphrates River in Syria, according to Anadolu Agency.
Erdogan vowed that Turkey will “achieve a victory over terrorists” referring to Kurdish armed groups (mostly the YPG and the PKK), which control the northeastern part of Syria.
On October 28, the Turkey Armed Forces (TAF) carried out a series of strikes on YPG/PKK positions near the village of Ayn al-Arab (also known as Kobani), which is located east of the Euphrates. After the strikes, the YPG released a statement on the strikes vowing to respond to Turkish attacks.
The YPG also claimed that it’s mostly focused on combating ISIS in the province of Deir Ezzor and has carried out no attacks against territory of the “invader”. Nonetheless, the YPG did not note that its cells have repeatedly carried out attacks on forces of the TAF and Turkish-backed militant groups in the region of Afrin in northwestern Syria.
Ankara considers the YPG and other Kurdish armed groups, which are the core of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as terrorists because of their links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK is a separatist militant group, which has a long history of rebellion against the Turkish state. In fact, it seeks to establish an independent Kurdish state within Turkish territory and, if it’s possible, to include northern Syria and northern Iraq in it.
The US support, including miltiary supplies, to the SDF and thus the YPG and the PKK is the source of the constant tensions between Washington and Ankara. The sides even reached a deal on the town of Manbij in the framework of which the YPG has to withdraw from the town and the local authorities has to be returned to the Manbij citizens [currently the town is controlled by the YPG-affilated body]. However, the US has sabotaged its side of the deal and has not allowed Turkish forces to enter the vicinity.
shit is gonna hit the fan
it goes this way, the question is for whom it will hit the fan. Unless you are with the believe, that turkey can attack american interest and walk away victorious.
Do you really believe that USA will declare war on Turkey? Without Turkey NATO in Europe is a joke. If Turkey joins military alliance with Russian, China and Iran how on Earth will USA and it’s Western puppet states win this war?
They dont need to declare war on any one. Just arm their puppets something they been doing for years now and let them lose. Turks will not have airforce cover and also in the area the kurds are minority, so mostly arab syrians will be doing the dying as civilian population. For the americans that is win win situation and lets not forget the british and french forces in the area.
like Leon above said-retake Idlib very soon please or you will lose it and a lot more.to much time has passed. Russia needs to step it up and bomb and missile strike these wacko’s for 72 hours straight into oblivion. get rid of some overhead for christ sake.
The massive radiator fan at the rear of those Israeli M60 Sabra tanks Turkey bought?
It’s interesting to note that pro-RU media, including SF, are rather pro-TR and anti-Kurds, on the simple argument that Kurds are pro-America and anti-RU. I think Kurds can be a lot more pro-Russia, if they perceive Russia as a friend not as the new “protector” of their enemy.
Don’t forget what game TR played until July 2016.
Of course pro-Russian media are not that critical of Turkey, as Moscow is playing the long game of trying to get Turkey out of the US sphere of influence and into Moscow’s. I reckon that to Moscow that is at least worth it to let Turkey keep Idlib and other parts of northern Syria. As for the anti-Kurdish stance, the Kurds have brought that on themselves for selling themselves 100% to the Americans and the American agenda. If they hadn’t Afrin would still be Kurdish today as it was the Russians and the Russians only who kept the Turks at bay. The moment the Russians dropped that protection the Turks walked in.
>>I think Kurds can be a lot more pro-Russia, if they perceive Russia as a friend not as the new “protector” of their enemy.<<
Assad was never their enemy in the first place. Turkey was and ISIS was. Unfortunately Assad was not in a position to help the Kurds as his forces were driven back from Kurdish territory and further back day by day, until the Russian intervention changed that trend. That left the Kurds on their own and they sold themselves then into servitude to the Americans, even starting to dream of an independent Kurdistan, being encouraged in that dream by the Americans, who even promised them a sea port. They made their bed selling their souls to the US, and so far have turned down all attempts by the Russians and Assad to rekindle their old working relationship. And paid for it by losing Afrin. And will probably pay heavily for it again in the future once the Americans pack in and go home again.
Barba, Turkey is not going to keep nothing of the Syrian territory, not even the soil they have occupied with their wall in the border of Idlib’s governorate. Turkey has not the strength to create a turkeystan in Syria, and the russians will never consent on a deal at expenses of the Syrians and of their territory.
Wouldn’t a pro-US Kurdish North East Syria be valuable to the US as a foothold in the region?
Sure, it’s easy to see the US selling out the Kurds without a moment’s thought – if they think that’s worthwhile.for them. But is it?
The US has been supplying the SDF with a shitload of weapons to defend themselves against the Turks ever since Erdogan first started talking crazy about invading Northern Syria to eliminate the Kurds. Those have been trucked and flown in from Iraq. The YPG in Afrin might of received a small amount to help hold the Turk forces at bay while they conducted a strategic withdraw to SAA lines in the east where their units and those of the SDF have been working with the SAA to hold control of territory in Northern Aleppo province. The US won’t abandon the Kurds to keep Turkey in NATO and instead try to get rid of Erdogan by economic sanctions levied on Turkey by all NATO members. The Turkish Lira is already weak and will spiral down fast once that happens. That should spark a popular uprising to get rid of Ergodan’s government.
Thx for reply. Why then is Erodgan “talking crazy” here? Maybe he figures a limited operation might not incur US reaction such as you suggest, and then he could build from there?
lol keep dreaming, erdogan is playing both sides, talking like he’s against US/NATO but also letting his troops do joint patrols with US
It’s still a legal quagmire, because they are basically doing the exact same thing that they accuse Russia of in the Ukraine, setting up a breakaway republic, and actually being there with troops on the ground, openly militarily intervening against the legal Syrian government trying to secure its own territory. At the least the Russians did that covertly, the US on the other hand knows no shame.
Also it’s usefulness as a foothold depends on being able to supply it, and the area has no ports, so its totally dependent on its neighbors for resupply. The longer the US stays and props up this Kurdish statelet, the more pissed off Turkey becomes. And I reckon that if Turkey becomes that pissed off that it forces the US to chose between the Kurds and Turkey leaving NATO I reckon the US will chose Turkey any time.
And when has the US not sold out its own allies when it thought it could get a better deal? It hung the Netherlands out to dry over Indonesia in 1948 and 1962, choosing Indonesia over us, it fucked the UK and France over their intervention in Suez. Regardless of whether or not those countries were in the right or wrong, the US did not stand by its own allies. The US abandoned Diem in South Vietnam, the Shah of Iran, or Mubarak of Egypt, to name a few more. The real mystery is therefore not does the US screw over its allies when its worthwhile, but why are other countries and groups still stupid enough to enter into an alliance with the US or stay with it.
Which would leave Syria divided, the Kurds need Assad as much as Assad needs the Kurds, they have to work out a solution because there is no option B.
Has Russia made an agreement with Turkey to “trade” Idlib for YPG territory East of the Euphrates?
Thought the exact same thing. It Really does smells like a Russian-Turkey-Syrian deal of some kind.
Turkey is the best to counter the US supported SDF i think, that leaves no excuse for another cruisemissile attack on SAA and no further sanctions against Russia. And since Turkey is a very important NATO member, it is interesting to see the US response.
I think I have some idea of what the CIA Director got told on her visit to Turkey. Supposedly she went to threaten Erdogan with leaking information Damaging to Erdogan. I think Erdogan showed her that his audio/visual recordings were bigger and better than hers – something the US understands.
And it was Erdogan making the demands – free hand for Erdogan to invade and crush the Kurds in the Syrian border area east of Euphrates.
This is my guess and not a peep of protest from US so far.
Putin gave Erdogan Idlib to snatch him from NATO. Trump will give North and northeast to retain him in NATO. As soon Erdogan get both he will become again by magic a full full full member of NATO and to regain the lost territories, Syria, Russia and Iran will have to confront NATO !!! Erdogan will tell Putin : thank you and bye-bye ! Western countries will obtain want they wanted from the beginning : the splitting of Syria. I think it’s more then urgent to retake Idlib and it will be very difficult because for 2 months already Turkey and pro-turkish rebels reinforced quite a lot. Putin may be a little bit naive opposite Erdogan.
Well said.
I think that Turkey don’t want to capture any parts of Syria, Turkey involvement is far more complicated than you can see. Is not to occupy land is to keep the Kurdish out of Turkey and not to become a state nowhere else. Kurdish people who they join USA they won’t have any chance to stand Turkey. USA will dump them, it is all what they know to do starting wars and then losing the war , USA WON’T risk a war whit Turkey,I think that Kurds have to wakeup, they are unable to defeat ISIS and they t think that they will have any chances against Turkey???? Are you fucking on drugs???? Kurdish people!!!! Dump USA and you will have chances to live or die for USA dollars… May God give Kurdish people brains because they need.
Erdogan: Turkey Finished Preparations For ‘Counter-Terrorism’ Op East Of Euphrates River In Syria
Well done. Russia, Syria, Turkey and their allies will win this war from Trump and co.
For all the supposed animosity between the US and Russia, Trump has repeatedly said he not only wants to develop a better relationship with Russia, he thinks it’s also necessary for world economic and political stability. He’s also said on numerous occasions he wants to pull the US out of Syria altogether to save the US taxpayers some money. Erdogan’s trying his hardest to stave off an economic collapse that threatens to ruin Turkey’s economic future, which in turn would probably diminish Erdogan’s popularity no end. He has about 60% of the population that love him like a father, but he also has about 40% of the population that would happily hang him from a rope, which means he can’t afford to lose the people’s affections by allowing the Turkish economy to deteriorate any further, otherwise he might end up like Saddam. Does anybody out there seriously believe the media when they tell us Erdogan has any real ability to hold onto Idlib, he can’t afford to, it’s a sinkhole his failing economy just can’t afford, and a death trap for his soldiers. I think that holding onto Idlib would be the worst thing that could happen to Erdogan and his popularity, unless he could get his hands on some extra cash that is. If he had all the oil revenue the Kurds and the US are now reaping he’d be able to afford it though, but that’s the only way he could, hmmmm. But I don’t think that means the US will pull out and leave Erdogan in charge of both Idlib and north east Syria, I think it’s way more complicated than that. There are no reliable statistics on Turkish casualties inflicted by the Kurdish fighters, but I think it must be close to 50, possibly as many as 100. I can understand the Kurds getting away with killing the Turks proxies, but I can’t understand how they can actually kill Turkish soldiers and get away with it, they are under US jurisdiction afterall and Tukey and the US are both NATO members, what’s going on. Erdogan won’t last politically, he may be popular with a majority of the Turkish population but the other 40% hate him way too much to allow him to be a long term politician for much longer, a fall in his approval ratings means it’s all over for his dreams of a greater Ottoman Empire. He’s too divisive politically both in the domestic arena and outside. The only Arab nation friendly to Turkey is Qatar and noone in the EU is happy about Turkey’s political direction the US included, would it really make sense for Trump to invest a huge effort in forging a relationship with someone like Erdogan, I don’t think so. I only see things heading in one direction.