Turkey and the Syrian crisis By Daniel Ozoukou

From 2016 to 2019, Turkish troops, together with their allies, conducted military operations in Euphrates Shield, Aleppo, Afrin, and Idlib. That military offensive '' drew warnings of a humanitarian disaster. [1]" Furthermore, President Erdogan stressed that the Turkish military strategy aimed to defeat the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which he repeatedly slammed for having a link with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey [2]. The YPG is the main fighting element of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the strategic partner of the US in the fight against the ISIL group [3]. The SDF is a Kurdish militia created in 2015 during the Syrian insurrection.

????????? Moreover, the Turkish government established a pro-state that ensures administrative and relief programs for displaced people. "The Turkish military and governmental presence in the northern areas represented the final stage in brief, but fraught, history of local governance in the region." [4]An analyst stressed. In violation of international law, Turkish authorities have annexed a sovereign state and have put in place a parallel administration in cities under their control. Turkey proceeds by "co-option of local institutions. Co-option and support are two distinct forms of intervention. "Co-option refers to Turkish institutions?replacing?their Syrian counterparts, while support can mean anything from funding and training to working?alongside?local Syrians." [5] Under that political policy, on September 8, 2016, Gaziantep Mayor Fatima Sahin headed to Northern Syria and visited Jarabulus. It was the very first Turkish authority to visit Syria since the beginning of the 2011 crisis [6].

???????? In parallel, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) established water and electricity facilities. Generators for water pumps and three kilometers of a new line from the border town of Karkamis that would supply 31.5 KW were provided by the AFAD and the Turkish electrical company. The Ministry of Health created a medical unit to assist people affected by the conflict.[7] On September 16, 2016, Putin initiated peace talks with Turkey and Iran to discuss crucial issues including territorial annexation and the disarmament of Hayat Tahir al-Sham militias in Idlib [8] as requested by the Russian President.

[1] Reuters EU furious

[2] Reuters furious with Turkey, EU officials threaten to sanction 11 October 2019.

[3] Ibidem

[4] Gregory Waters Between Ankara and Damascus: The role of the Turkish state in north Aleppo

June 20, 2019.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Mona Yacoubian ‘’Syria Timeline: Since the Uprising Against Assad’’ US Institute for Peace 17 July 2020

[8] Samuel Ramani Russia’s efforts to expand the Astana process in Syria October 7, 2019.