Relations between Turkey and the United States are currently at their lowest point, so Ankara’s decision to start a military operation in Syria, contrary to Washington’s position, is unlikely to harm them even more. So, experts interviewed by RT commented on the statement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that his troops are ready to begin military operations against Kurds in northern Syria in the near future.

The result of this operation should be the cleansing of the territory of the UAR from Turkey by Kurdish armed forces and the creation of a security zone there.

“Maybe today or tomorrow we will make such a decision, we will conduct this operation both on land and from the air,” said the Turkish president, speaking to activists of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

Kurdish people's self-defense units (Kurdish Yekîneyên Parastina Gel, YPG) in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from the very beginning of the conflict in the country remain the main allies of the US military. Kurds were the main striking force in the onset of the US-led coalition on the "capital of the IG *" Raqqa in 2017, which still remains under their control.

Erdogan also said that "the idea of ​​conducting a joint ground and air patrol with the US in Syria is delaying the implementation of the plan to create a security zone." He added that Turkey "is full of promises and endured for a long time."

  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan
  • Reuters
  • © Carlo Allegri / File

Earlier, Erdogan announced Turkey’s readiness to begin a new operation in the SAR in September. The politician said then that Ankara "does not intend to turn a blind eye to US support for the terrorists YPG / PPC (Kurdistan Workers Party. - RT )."

“There will be no other choice”

Disagreements on the Kurdish issue have repeatedly overshadowed the relations of the States and their largest NATO ally, Turkey. Ankara ranks the military-political structures of the Kurds among the terrorist organizations, and considers their presence on their own borders as a threat.

The Kurds hope to create their own state in the northern regions of the SAR. A step towards this a few years ago was the proclamation of Kurdish autonomy in the territories of three regions - Afrina, Kobani and Jazira. A military alliance with the Americans allowed the Kurds to expand the zone of influence in the territory where Arabs traditionally live. These areas include Racca.

Turkey has previously conducted military operations in Syria. The first of them was called the “Shield of the Euphrates” and started in 2016 in the province of Aleppo. Her goal, according to Erdogan, was the elimination of Islamic State terrorists and Kurdish paramilitary structures.

  • Turkish Army soldiers during Operation Olive Branch
  • Reuters
  • © Khalil Ashawi

The second operation was called the "Olive Branch." It was held in early 2018 against the Kurds in the Afrin region. Support to the Turks was provided by units of the Syrian Free Army. Toward the start of the offensive, Ankara was prompted by a statement by Washington about plans to deploy a Kurdish armed corps along the border of the SAR and Turkey.

The American side then provided indirect assistance to Turkey, threatening the Kurds, who fought against IS in the North of the SAR, with the cessation of support if they try to help their brothers in Afghanistan. The result of the operation was the consolidation of Turkish forces in the area.

For a long time, Ankara and Washington continue to negotiate a possible format for a future security zone in the north of the ATS. However, they still cannot find a compromise, experts say.

To demonstrate its dissatisfaction with such a situation, Turkey has repeatedly said that it is ready to take unilateral actions.

So, in July, the leadership of the Turkish Defense Ministry announced Ankara’s readiness to begin an independent “neutralization of threats” in Syria. This was soon said by the President of Turkey.

“We intend to destroy the terrorist corridor east of the Euphrates, no matter what the negotiations with the United States over the establishment of a security zone along the borders of Syria,” Erdogan quoted the Hürriyet Daily News as saying.

The Turkish leader returned to this topic in early August, when he announced Ankara’s intention to begin a new operation in the SAR. As Erdogan stated then, the Turkish side informed Russia and the USA about their plans.

This announcement was met with discontent in the White House. The State Department said that the unilateral activity of Turkey in the north-east of the SAR will cause great concern to the American side, especially when you consider that not only Kurds, but also American troops are deployed in these areas.

So far, the US and Turkey have been able to agree only on the creation of a coordination center for joint operations. At the same time, the Turkish leadership emphasized that it did not intend to wait too long for the US decision on the security zone in the north-east of the SAR.

“We no longer have a single day of waiting. If we do not achieve any result (from the USA. - RT ), then we will have no other choice. We plan to resettle two million Syrian refugees in a 30-kilometer wide zone, ”Erdogan said in early October.

Washington reacted to this statement by the Turkish leader with restraint.

As for the remarks by President Erdogan. I will not comment on them, I’ll just say that we continue to implement the security mechanism, ”said Colonel Patrick Ryder, representative of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States.

  • Colonel Patrick Ryder, United States Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • globallookpress.com
  • © US Joint Staff

“The operation will not be easy”

As explained by HSE professor Grigory Lukyanov in an interview with RT, Ankara intends to use Syria’s border territories to resettle Syrian refugees who previously fled from the war to Turkey.

“There is a fierce struggle for Kurds against these lands who are not going to leave their historical homeland. Erdogan is hesitating now, because he’s not sure that the resettlement will be safe for refugees, ”the expert said.

According to analysts, the Turkish army is technically ready for the offensive, but whether the Turkish leadership decides to take this step is still unclear.

“This operation will not be easy, it will be a difficult war both for the Turkish army and for the Syrian opposition supported by Turkey,” Lukyanov said.

  • Kurdish military unit fighters
  • Reuters
  • © Goran Tomasevic

According to the director of the Center for the Study of New Turkey, Yuri Mavashev, the Turkish army can go on the offensive in the foreseeable future, since both the special services and the general staff of the republic have long prepared a detailed plan for future hostilities.

Speaking about how the US-Turkish partnership will develop now, experts note that relations between the two countries have long been overshadowed by various differences, so Ankara’s decision to start the operation will not affect anything.

“This situation will not worsen the already negative background in relations between Ankara and Washington,” Lukyanov explained in an interview with RT.

A similar point of view is shared by Mavashev. The expert recalled that the Turkish leader was already giving Washington time to work out its plan of action, but the US was not able to put forward constructive proposals.

“Now the situation is deadlock. The American media even published forecasts about the possibility of clashes between the US and Turkish military in northern Syria. In general, it’s not necessary to talk about the deterioration of US-Turkish relations simply because they have been thoroughly damaged for a long time, ”he said in an interview with RT.

* “Islamic State” (ISIS, ISIS) - the organization was recognized as terrorist by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2014.