Turkish army tanks and military personal are stationed in Karkamis on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern Gaziantep province, Turkey, August 25, 2016. © Umit Bektas / Reuters
On November 20, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense released a video showing its “Rapid Response Force” in Syria’s northeastern region.
The Turkish military and its proxies invaded northeastern Syria in October of 2019. Following a few weeks of clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Turkish forces occupied a long strip of land between the town of Tell Abyad in northern Raqqa and the town of Ras al-Ain in northern al-Hasakah.
The Turkish’s military’s Rapid Response Force is armed with ten M60A3 TTS battle tanks, three ACV-AIFV infantry fighting vehicles and six BMC Kirpi II MRAP [mine-resistant ambush protected] vehicles.
Barış Pınarı bölgesinde görev yapan Ani Müdahale Kuvvetimiz, her türlü acil durum için daima göreve hazır. pic.twitter.com/Rv3SEB5o9M
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) November 20, 2021
The Ministry of National Defense didn’t clarify the exact tasks of the Rapid Response Force. The unit appears to be responsible for providing direct heavy fire support for Turkish-backed Syrian militants.
According to several recent reports, the Turkish military is currently preparing to launch a new operation against the SDF in northern and northeastern Syria.
The Rapid Response Force will likely take part in any new operation in the northeastern region. The SDF is currently preparing to repel any attack. So do, the Syrian Arab Army and Russian forces who maintain a large presence in the region.
Every non-Muslim power will be against Turkey and against this operation.
A few Kornet-Es here and there and it’s donmeh kebab time with this “rapid reaction farce”!
The first to be hit will probably be the new Turkish posts located mere hundreds of meters away from Syrian posts. When that happens, all Turkish posts now become priority targets. Turkey will be forced to send its proxies to do the reinforcing. This RRF wont be able to cover the dozens of posts scattered in Syria.