Turkey to Support Jabhat Fateh al-Sham?

About a month ago Turkey launched “Euphrates Shield” operation in Syria. Its aimed at supporting Free Syrian Army and other units of so-called “moderate opposition” in their fightings against Kurds and ISIS terrorists and wiping them away from Syria-Turkey border.

During the operation the opposition groupings covered by Turkish armed forces took vast territories in the north of Aleppo province under control and keeps on moving deeper into Syria. Turkey supports Syrian opposition, including “Jabhat Fateh al-Sham” (former “Jabhat al-Nusra”, which broke ties with ISIS and calling itself part of opposition).

Actions in the North of Syria shows two important trends. On the one hand, “Jabhat Fateh al-Sham” meeting the support of Ankara denies implementing the ceasefire agreement established in Syria several hours ago. Within only six hours after the ceasefire started the militants attacked Syrian Government forces’ positions in various parts of Aleppo province using not only small arms, but also mortars and antitank weapons. At 00.30 a.m. September 13 the militants started a 30-minute anti-aircraft gun shelling of Syrian army unit’s positions at Breij al-Rikh roundabout in the North of Aleppo city.

On the other hand, Turkey uses the current situation to meet its goals. Ankara officially stands for territorial integrity of Syria. Nevertheless it started to fill the territories freed from ISIS with turkoman people living in bordering areas and proposes Syrian Turks to move from South-Western provinces to “liberated territories” in the North of Aleppo province. All those agree to move there are paid $10.000.

So, Ankara accumulates people loyal to it in “secure zone” established with its own hands. In late 1990s similar situation existed in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. At that time the United States initiated, supported and funded mass moving of ethnic Albanians from various Europe states into “home of Serbian people” – Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Later prevailing Albanians unilaterally declared independence of province from Serbia. Thereafter such a scenario became known as “United States humanitarian weapon”. Today Ankara has brought this technology into practice in Syria.