Turkish military offensive in Idlib governorate

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Turkish military offensive in Idlib governorate
The zone around Idlib in northwest Syria (highlighted) is one of the four declared de-escalation zones of the Astana talks
The zone around Idlib in northwest Syria (highlighted) is one of the four declared de-escalation zones of the Astana talks
date since October 12, 2017
place Northern Syria
Casus Belli Enforcement of a de-escalation zone in accordance with the Astana peace negotiations
output open
Parties to the conflict

TurkeyTurkey Turkey

Flag of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.svg Haiʾat Tahrir ash-shame

Flag of Syrian Democratic Forces.svg Democratic Forces of Syria

The Turkish military offensive in Idlib Governorate began on October 12, 2017, with the aim of creating a de-escalation zone. Turkey claims that it wants to prevent even more war refugees from fleeing to Turkey. A Turkish convoy of troop carriers, trucks and Leopard 2 tanks advanced into Idlib and a suburb west of Aleppo . Observation posts are officially to be set up here. Observers assume that army bases will in fact be built. The Turkish army is supported by rebels from the Free Syrian Army, the HTS and the Ahrar al-Sham.

aims

In Astana, Turkey agreed with the governments of Russia and Iran to expel the Haiʾat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from Idlib. The HTS is considered to be the dominant force in the Idlib region .

A de-escalation zone is then to be set up in the province, in which a ceasefire will apply between Syrian government troops and rebels. The Syrian Democratic Forces (DKS) assume that the offensive will then be directed against them. Turkey sees the People's Defense Units (YPG), which dominate within the DKS, an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it regards as a terrorist organization. On October 14th, the Syrian government demanded the withdrawal of the Turkish troops and spoke of "aggression" that had nothing to do with the "Astana Agreements".

Establishment of observation posts

According to the Astana negotiations, Turkey is to set up a total of 12 observer posts in Idlib. Turkey has established four observer posts in Salwa, Simeonberg, Jabal Aqil and Anak Berg adjacent to Afrin. There are also four other observer posts in Rashidin, Al Eis, Tell Tuqan, Surman near Aleppo and another four in Morek, Maidan Gazal, Ishtabraq Mountain and Jabal Turkmen . The first posts were set up on the border with Afrin in October 2017. The sixth observer post was established in Surman in February 2018.

Cooperation between Turkey and HTS

When the Turkish troops marched into Idlib with 50 tanks in October 2017, there was no fighting, instead the HTS escorted the Turkish troops. Ruth Bosshardt from Schweizer Fernsehen SRF was picked up by HTS on the border between Turkey and Syria in March 2018 and accompanied during her reporting from Syria controlled by Turkey. Until July 2018 there were no major skirmishes between Turkish troops and the HTS.

In spring 2020, the audio recording of a speech given by the HTS leader Abu al-Fateh al-Farghali to members of the group was leaked. In this, al-Farghali explains to his troops what the agreement between HTS and Turkey has been like since 2018. Accordingly, this was based on the basic condition that HTS must always retain the military superiority in Idlib. Al-Farghali admits that this superiority of HTS will no longer exist in 2020, so the agreement with Turkey is null and void. He describes the Turkish military and Turkish soldiers as infidels .

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ blid: «#SRFglobal» from 1.3.2018. Swiss Radio and Television SRF, March 1, 2018, accessed on July 17, 2018 (Swiss Standard German, starting at 5 p.m.).
  2. ↑ a b Erdogan's Syria Pact: Why the Turkish President is working with one of the most dangerous terrorists . In: HuffPost Germany . November 9, 2017 ( huffingtonpost.de [accessed August 2, 2018]).
  3. ↑ spiegel.de : Turkey moves into the rebel province of Idlib
  4. ↑ faz.net : Turkish military convoy penetrated into the Syrian province of Idlib
  5. ↑ Patrick Cockburn: While defeat of Isis dominates global attention, al-Qaeda strengthens in Syria. In: independent.co.uk. The Independent , September 6, 2017, accessed October 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ zeit.de: Syrian government demands withdrawal of Turkish troops
  7. ↑ Reuters Editorial: Turkish military says sets up sixth observation post in Syria's Idlib . In: US ( reuters.com [accessed August 2, 2018]).
  8. ↑ Map of Syrian Civil War - Syria news and incidents today - syria.liveuamap.com. Retrieved August 2, 2018 .
  9. ^ Turkish troops enter north-western Syria . In: BBC News . October 13, 2017 ( bbc.co.uk [accessed August 2, 2018]).
  10. ↑ Reuters Editorial: Turkish military says sets up sixth observation post in Syria's Idlib . In: US ( reuters.com [accessed August 2, 2018]).
  11. ↑ Ahmad Abazeid: The Future of HTS with the Turkish intervention . In: Atlantic Council . ( atlanticcouncil.org [accessed July 17, 2018]).
  12. ↑ blid: «#SRFglobal» from 1.3.2018. Swiss Radio and Television SRF, March 1, 2018, accessed on July 17, 2018 (Swiss Standard German, starting at 5 p.m.).
  13. ↑ Youtube. March 31, 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX9SVRH2xaA
  14. ↑ The jihadists are losing control. May 14, 2020, accessed June 3, 2020 .