Turkey has set up a military base in Akhtarin in the province of Aleppo, according to local media activists. The Turkish army, Special Forces and intelligence agencies are expanding their presence in northern Syria amid ongoing clashes between pro-Turkey militant groups and the SDF over the possibility to seize from ISIS the key town of al-Bab.
On November 21, Kurdish forces attacked pro-Turkey militant groups in Sheikh Nasir and seized the village. Earlier this year, reports appeared that the Turkish Armed Forces set up a military base south of al-Rai.
A map on the topic from a pro-Turkey map
Why am I not surprised ? Turkey has clearly stated its intentions, agreed and co-ordinated with NATO to move in and permanently occupy Syrian territory north of Latitude 36,5 degrees N. This is exactly what has happened. Every named strategic objectve lies on or just a few kilometers north of this parallel from Afrin to Menagh AB to Akhtarin (under construction, near jihadi apocolypse Dabiq!) to Manbij to the Euphrates. Meanwhile Turkey lets loose its mercenaries and dogs-of-war to fight not the SAA but the Kurds YPG. Once Turkey takes Manbij and reaches the river its game over for the Afrin Kurds, cut off. As for the Turkish occupation they will not pull back north one centimeter from this line. They will let their proxies kill as many Kurds as possible while the SAA re-takes al-Bab. I just cannot see anyone starting a shooting war with Turkey, why the YPG would expect NATO air support against a NATO member is beyond understanding.
we will have to wait and see. But at the end of the war, Turkey will have to retreat back to its territory or face the SAA and likely Russia and Iran without NATO support.
I wish you were right, but I have a feeling this will be like northern Cyprus 1974, no NATO pressure to withdraw and 42 years later Turkey remains in occupation.
The Turks are merely regaining territory lost to the British 80 years ago. Just like Russian is regaining its lost territory in Crimea. We are seeing the reversal of British Imperialism before our eyes. At the end of the day the only way one can stop this is through a nuclear war and no one wants to go down that path.
needless to say then, that Israel needs to go.
Israel is not being used as a breeding ground for terrorist organisations that commit suicide bombings in Turkey on a monthly basis. Nor is it being used as a spring board for terrorists. Iraq and Syria has become a swamp for terrorists and Turkey intends on drying up that swamp by regaining control.
your previous statement did not include references to terrorism harboring, unless you are stating that Russia uses Crimea for that purpose – the point of the comment is that if Turkey has any legitimation to take territories of Syria because it lost them 80 years ago, the Palestinian would be more entitled to get their state (And Egypt and Syria to get back their territories currently occupied by Israel). From my point of view, it should be the people of said territory to decide for themselves: Crimeans decided to be part of Russia in a overwhelming referendum. Those occupied by Israel of course don’t have that option, while those in Syria should be allowed to decide, and I don’t believe that they wish to belong to Turkey.