Turkey aims to enclose Syrian Kurds in Afrin

Ankara : As Turkey launches a military operation in Syria’s rebel-hold Idlib province with the main task of monitoring truce as part of Astana process, Ankara will use the military mission as a prelude to enclose Syrian Kurds in Afrin region near the Turkish border and prevent a Kurdish corridor. 

The Turkish government launched “Euphrates Shield Operation” in 2016 August aiming to clear the border area from the Islamic State (IS) jihadists, but the priority of Turkey was to contain advance of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the region as well since Ankara sees the group as the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 

Turkey views territorial advance of Kurds and possibility of any Kurdish state in the region as an existential threat and its policies target preventing a Kurdish or PKK corridor that would begin at PKK headquarters in the Qandil Mountains and Sinjar region in Iraq, extend to Jazeera, Kobani, Afrin cantons of Syrian Kurds. 

The Euphrates Shield Operation nixed the YPG’s plans to link its Afrin canton with two other cantons east of the Euphrates River. The YPG positions in Afrin and nearby Tel Rifaat town occasionally came under Turkish artillery fire from Turkey’s troops deployed in Azaz after the Euphrates Shield. 

The military operation launched into Idlib province will continue until all sources of threats will be eliminated, Turkish Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said on Tuesday. 

“We have to be there until all threats being posed to Turkey from Syria will be eliminated,” Anadolu Agency quoted Canikli as saying during a visit to Georgia.  

Turkish Armed forces and Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) are moving together in Syria as part of a deal with Russia and Iran to establish de-escalation zones in the war-torn country, the minister said. 

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also said on Tuesday that involvement in Idlib province aims to stop “terrorist elements” in the region after civilians and armed jihadist groups will be separated from each other. 

The military engagement will also pave the way for the flow of humanitarian aid into Syria as well as stop a potential new refugee inflow into Turkey, he noted. 

The liberalized area by Euphrates Shield Operation between Azaz-Jarablus line in northern Syria will likely be the new home for the moderates and their families who will leave Idlib. 

Turkey is also playing the role of mediator in its relations with the rebel groups at Idlib where Russia and Syrian regime are preparing for a major offensive after separation of “terrorists.” 

Ankara has long been trying to convince Russia for its possible operation into Afrin which will aim to take Tel Rifat, the Menagh Airport and more southern villages back from the YPG, in return for Turkey’s assistance for de-escalation zone in Idlib.