Syrian Army Rains Shells on Turkish Troops in Rebel-Held Idlib. 1 Dead, 6 Wounded
The first Turkish attempt to set up a military base in Syria’s Islamist-held Idlib failed. January a large Turkish military convoy crossed the border on the way to a strategic town of al-Eis. Two days later it withdrew back into Turkey never having reached its destination and suffering 1 dead and 2 wounded to a car bomb.
Earlier this week the Turks tried again and were successful. They are now constructing a large military outpost on a hill on the outskirts of al-Eis, Syria.
Turkey claims its presence is justified by the Astana de-escalation deal for Idlib. What Syria thinks about that can be gleaned from Turkish reports — arriving at their destination the Turks say they were shelled from territory under control of the Syrian army and suffered 1 dead and 6 wounded. This was Tuesday.
Video of a Turkish convoy entering northern #Idlib province near the village of Kafr Lusin. Video via @Bawaba_idlib / Mohamed Kaid: https://t.co/ZJFGlXUUKI pic.twitter.com/gy3k3T4xDo
— Jake Godin (@JakeGodin) February 9, 2018
Undeterred the Turks fired back, and more importantly, today sent yet another military convoy under rebel escort to a Syrian village called Tell Touqan. Reportedly there, 20 kilometers to the south of al-Eis, they’re now constructing their second outpost on rebel-government lines in Idlib.
What is more Tell Touqan is just next to Abu Duhur which was recently taken in a wildly successful Syrian army offensive, and from where it was expected the second stage of offensive towards the besieged Shia enclave Foua and Kafraya would be launched soon.
A situation where a Turkish military base finds itself as an island in Damascus-controlled territory is out of the question so the Turkish outpost must instead be seen as a security guarantee to the al-Qaeda-led rebels.
E. #Idlib: part of Turkish convoy is currently deploying in Tell Touqan, 19 km S. of previous position in Al-Eis. Those positions are 1st steps of a "security belt" around Greater #Idlib. pic.twitter.com/TCZR4dMOVP
— Qalaat Al Mudiq (@QalaatAlMudiq) February 9, 2018
There is apparently a situation now where a neighboring state is not permitting Damascus to put down rebels in its own country, just like the US is not permitting it to retake its east from secessionist Kurds.
If this Turkish presence was indeed blessed by Moscow it is difficult to see why. The deal reached in Astana offered de-escalation only to rebels not in league with al-Qaeda. Instead Erdogan is now cutting deals with it.
دخول رتل عسكري تركي من معبر كفرلوسين باتجاه منطقة تل الطوقان بريف #ادلب الشرقيhttps://t.co/3IYj1SrsJC#وكالة_ثقة #سوريا pic.twitter.com/qkjsPq2Bd9
— وكالة ثقة (@thiqanewsagency) February 9, 2018
By Marko Marjanović
Source: Checkpoint Asia
