Photos of Strykers and up-armored Humvees flying U.S. flags were posted on social media over the weekend after the U.S. regional command confirmed that Special Forces troops in Syria had moved toward Manbij. (Qalaat Al Mudiq/Twitter)
On January 24, the Turkish Army artillery shelled a position of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) around the village of al-Dindaniyah west of Manbij in the Syrian province of Aleppo, according to the SDF’s Manbij Military Council (MMC). Kurdish sources added that the village of Shuyukh north of Manbij was also shelled by the Turkish Army.
The MMC reported that several warplanes of the US-led coalition flew over city after the shelling in what appears to be a US warning to the Turkish Army.
Earlier, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned during a speech to the heads of local governments in the city of Ankara that the Turkish Army will extend its ongoing military operation against Kurdish militias in the Afrin area to include Manbij.
“We will completely clear the region of terrorists, beginning with [the Syrian city of] Manbij and throughout our entire border [with Syria], ensuring our security,” Erdogan said accurding to the Russian news agency Sputnik.
In response to the Turkish threat, Sharfan Darwish, a spokesman for the MMC, said that the US-backed force took positions on the frontlines around Manbij to confront any possible Turkish attack and are in contact with the US-led coalition over protecting the city. according to Reuters.
“Of course we in the Manbij Military Council have taken the necessary measures and deployed our forces to the frontlines … We are in full readiness to respond to any attack [By the Turkish Army] … Of course our coordination with the international coalition continues with regards to the protection of Manbij,” Reuters quoted Darwish.
The shelling was likely a Turkish test to see how far the US is willing to go in order to protect its alliance with the Kurdish-dominated SDF in northern Syria.
This is a game changer. Erdogan is fed up with US BS.
Erdogan can only huff and puff with the US. He can threaten to expel Nato from Turkey; however, that would take testicular fortitude.
He will do it considering Erdogan is pretty well pissed off with the US.
Only problem is the lack of options, Turkey managed to be enemy of everyone around it, just like Israel, if they get out of NATO they will be easy prey for NATO, or forced to submit to russian protection, that is too much for their pride.
Perhaps only China can come to their rescue, but then again China does not have the power projection for that yet.
and Russia and Iran and Europe…..as PZIVJ, this is a game changer and may have global consequences (good ones). The US are seeing their authority questioner and many-many Countries are keeping their gob shut and smiling and wishing …….Europe especially.
:):):):)
I agree but turkey isnt in a situation to totally swap sides. Its economy issues wont let that happen. But at least there is a huge physical crack between the us and turkey. In a long term this indeed is a very nice progress. But this developement will lead more and more to a huge war as we all know jews will never give up their monopoly. Rather to give up they would love to use the samsun option.
SAA can’t sit back unfortunately US wants Turkey to take Manbij and Ifrin , hope you do realize it. Sound like you work with VOA Jeff Seldin as he is saying that Turkey should take both Manbij and Ifrin according to US plan and keep Assad away from reclaiming anymore Syrian Territory. Turkey and US are still wanting to Balkanize Syria not good in letting the POS and POTUS achieve their desires. You and anyone going along with you are very misguided and now you let your small head run the big head.
Looks like the SAA is taking a slight pause against HTS in Idlib. How do you figure the US wants Turkey to take Manbij, are they going to abandon SDF soon? If so, great news.
This was the intention all along was to use the SDF to hold it and keep it until Turkey and the US had enough trained troops to hold it. This is the plan from the beginning as the SDF having no real control , the US don’t even have any big numbers for the BSF and all are recently gathered in arrests. The announcement was very strange since mixed signals were sent, similar to creating that company of Paratroopers in WW2 just a ruse in war but we will see it for these FSA “Rebels”.
The SAA pause is more to changing lines of attack in phase 2 to capture the M5 highway, looks bad for the West and their proxies. Seems they have taken the 9th from Harasta and shifted them to confront ISIS in Daraa. The US and Turkey are again timing ISIS attacks with their assaults, how strange right down to the hour, makes one go Hmmm…
You have to admire those little snippets that Woolpuller throws in – “similar to creating that company of Paratroopers in WW2 just a ruse in war”. You just know you are dealing with an expert military historian. He understands not just the big picture but the fine details as well.
Please Woolpuller, share with us this amazing story for WW2 so we can all be enlightened.
I think they realized they have to dissolve the SW Aleppo/Eastern Idlib pocket before proceeding forward. This is not unusual and the SAA often prefers conservative tactics, as is evidenced by their steady action over the last few years. This is related to need to be careful and conserve based on shortages in man power and equipment over the years. Re-establishing control over this pocket will give the SAA the man power necessary to establish the next pocket. Letting the Turks kill the Kurds is just smart. Then the SAA can just clear them out as invaders under international law.
“Sound like you work with VOA Jeff Seldin as he is saying that Turkey should take both Manbij and Ifrin according to US plan and keep Assad away from reclaiming anymore Syrian Territory.”
I am calling bullshit on this Woolpuller claim. No need to ask Woolpuller for a link – he can never, ever provide a link to back up the stuff he says…..
What’s the US going to do, hit a NATO member engaged in border security with airstrikes to protect Jew world order terrorists and secessionists? Probably not. The test for the Turks is whether they allow the restoration of Syrian government administration in SDF areas. If they don’t, then they’re just one more Jew world order regime change element that will have to be dealt with.
It’s not so simple, don’t forget they nostalgy for ottoman empire, it’s not everything about Israel, Turks might think the ressurection of their old power might bethe answer to their problems, they might simply take syrian lands and say they are theirs.
That’s a real concern. And it would be a better outcome for the Zionists than the restoration of Syrian administration. The Russians have been working with the Turks for a while. Until we learn more, it’s a wait and see situation.
I agree, but I just don’t see Putin standing for it. He has way too much invested, not just in rubles, but blood and credibility. Russia holds much more sway over Turkey than the US…but then again, nothing is beyond Erdo. Wait and see is good advice.
But if they do !! – thoughts please.
The Turks would take it to a NATO summit and the UNSC. After Trump’s Jerusalem debacle, the US would be treated like a pariah.
Turkey would get nowhere at a NATO summit and as you well know Richard, the US has veto powers in the UN Security Council in the unlikely event of a vote going against it.
What do you think the Turks would do if they got hit with a US air strike?
Withdraw from NATO. Other than that I have no idea. The US is trying to maintain a balancing act between the Turks and the SDF. The US would only use airstrikes against Turkey as a last resort. That is assuming the US is prepared to do anything at all militarily against the Turks.
I don’t know if the Turks are bluffing (or just testing the waters) about going to Manbij and beyond. Equally the US could be bluffing about supporting the SDF. Or do the US and Turkey both feel, if it comes down to it, that they might have to accept a direct confrontation? THE US may feel that Turkey’s days as a US ally and NATO member are numbered anyway given the Turks recent conduct. The Turks may feel the same about being a US ally and NATO member – that there isn’t much in it for Turkey anymore and that the US is increasingly hostile. Even so surely the Turks would think twice about taking on the USAF.
My crystal ball is cloudy.
I answered the other reader’s question as to what I thought would happen in the event of a US airstrike on the Turks.
3,2,1 – World prayer.
Now it becomes serious. The US left Kurds in Afrin and assured Turkey that they have no objection to Turkish operation there. Trump warned (if you can call that a warning) Erdogan not to engage US forces outside Afrin but apparently Turkey feels the threat and danger of disintegration in it’s bones.
A US airbase (or airport) is just 15~20 km to the east of Manbij on the eastern bank of Euphrates (Sarin). I wouldn’t worry about seeing US planes in that area until the Pentagon verbally attacks Turkey.
Anyway, IF Turkey really wants to keep itself in one piece, the real threat is the occupied eastern Syria. If (how unlikely) the US manages to build an “independence” entity (independent from it’s mother country only, but dependent in every thinkable aspect to the foreigners) in that part of Syria, it WILL spill over Turkey with dire consequences. Such and entity cannot survive without accessing the outside world and guess what, it’s mere existence by such treacherous way of creation is more than enough to guarantee that it will be isolated. If the US (and it’s masters) are serious, they prepared their plans for Turkey’s disintegration before they announce their 30,000 “border” force.
Let’s wait to see how the US reacts.
US won’t use that airbase, Russia has it covered with it’s recent S400 which cover Damascus and a majority of Syrian/Turkey border. US will back down until they can relocate there bases from Turkey which I believe was there primary aim by siding with the Kurds. After the coup on Erdogan the US are vulnerable by having there bases in Turkey.
And not only that particular airport, the beauty of S-400 installations is that Injirlik airbase in Turkey, the British airbase in Cyprus and the bases which the US uses in Jordan are all within it’s radars range.
Did you notice how stealthily the S400 was set up in Syria, believe it was 4 units.
“A US airbase (or airport) is just 15~20 km to the east of Manbij on the eastern bank of Euphrates (Sarin)”
On Wikimapia the Sarrin air base is 33 km north east of Manbij and 26 km south of Kobani (straight line distances). It is used mainly for cargo planes and perhaps helicopters. The airfield at roughly 1880 metres long is too short for most combat aircraft.
Who gives a toss, the US knows it is beaten. What are they going to do, humiliate themselves further ?.
You don’t give a toss????!!!!
Stop it Al…..you are breaking my heart…I want so much for you to care….
For you my boy, I care; oh vey.
The US can never give these kurds an Independence inside in Syria, they are aggressors in Syria, Uninvited and they are Terror Regime in Syria with their Kurdish Proxies, they want to build their bases with the Israelis so that Israelis can have nice highway up to the door of Iran. Its seems that who wants comes in Syria does what it wants and never ask the Syrian Government about nothing or any permission.
There is a huge base in Turkey, I hope that is eliminated as well.
The Kurds and the US are encircled east of the Euphrates River. Supplies can only be airlifted at an extremely high cost. The Israelis will not allow the US to leave particularly now. Israel has just “expanded its security zone” into Syria from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Thus the Greater Israel, aka, Yalon Plan. Very nice.
Russia has also installed 4 S400 to cover Damascus and will also cover the Turkish operation along the Syrian/Turkey border.
That is a good point. What if Turkey, Syria, Russia etc. are working hand in hand ?!!.
Thinking the same. US presence is not only a problem for Syria/Russia but Turkey also. Clever how Putin gave Turkey the go ahead by offering a deal to the Kurds knowing full well that they would refuse and at the same time exposed the US as an unreliable, traitorous partner. Kurds should get used to that anyway since being a traitor fits their bill also.
The Turks are thugs in Syria. Supporting Isis nearly the whole time while actively supporting Al Qaeda right now against the Syrian regime. They only want to link up they’re rebel thugs down too idlib. The Kurds? Yeah they hate them but it’s not the main reason. They want control of they’re southern border for conquest reasons for they’re ottoman dreams. Hard to do that when US forces and the Kurds cutoff they’re resupply routes into Syria for they’re thug rebels.