On December 31st, media outlet Suriye Gündemi published two infographics providing a pro-Turkish look at Ankara’s efforts in combating ISIS in Syria and inside Turkey. The provided data fully ignores the Turkish role in the terrorist group’s logistics, including the oil buisiness, but allows to get a look at how Turkey wants to represent its role in this very issue.
Internal situation
Click to see the full-size image
- According to the infographic, a total of 20 ISIS terror attacks have taken place in Turkey. The most notable was the January 1st, 2017 attack in a nightclub in Istanbul. A gunman entered the night club opened fire, killing 39 people and injuring 79 others. ISIS claimed responsibility shortly after it. As of July 19th 2018, 44 suspects were put behind bars in relation to the attack. Most recently, another suspect was arrested on December 24th, 2018, during a counterterrorism operation in southern Turkey.
- Approximately 300 people have lost their lives in terror attacks;
- 4,378 suspects were arrested for being members of ISIS, most recently on December 24th, 2018;
- Approximately 61,000 individuals were refused entry into Turkey due to links or suspected links to ISIS;
- 8,526 suspects are completely banned from entering Turkey;
- Approximately 1,000 foreigners linked to terrorism are at repatriation centers. Reportedly these centers operate at high efficiency and have beneficial conditions for the people in them. Foreigners involved in terrorism, working illegally, posing a threat to public order, whose visas have expired at least 10 days ago or whose applications for international protection have been rejected may also stay at repatriation centers. According to international law, the deportation of terror suspects should be carried out within 6 months, thus these people cannot be in such a center for longer.
Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria
Click to see the full-size image
The Euphrates Shield operation:
- Took 217 days. It started on August 24th, 2016 and ended on March 30th, 2017;
- The operation troops put an area of 2015 square kilometers under their control, clearing it of most of its ISIS presence;
- As a result of the operation 243 settlements were cleared of ISIS presence;
- More than 3,000 ISIS and People’s Protection Units (YPG) / Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) were defused; Turkey has always deemed the YPG / PKK a bigger threat than ISIS;
- As a result, 71 Turkish soldiers and approximately 600 Free Syrian Army members were killed.
One of the goals of the media campaign staged by Turkish and pro-Turkish media is to show and emphasize Ankara’s role in battling ISIS in the region. After all, US President Donald Trump said he entrusted the fight against the terrorists to Turkey and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Furthermore, Turkish media went to great lengths to allegedly expose the lacking French presence in Syria.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
“Defused Terrorists” LOL