Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 26
By Elena Kosolapova – Trend:
Ground military operation in Syria allowed Turkey to get back into the political process of Syrian conflict's resolution, French General and expert on security and defense policy Jean-Claude Allard told Trend.
Allard, who is also a senior research fellow at The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) believes that the current military operation is directed not so much against the "Islamic State" terrorist organization (IS, ISIS or Daesh), but mostly against YPG (People's Protection Units) and Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).
“ISIS is not, and for sure, will never be the issue that Turkey is in Syria for. Turkey tries to prevent a reinforcement of the idea of a Kurds independent State by way of a possible alliance between Turkish and Syrian Kurds,” Allard said.
On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force with the support of the coalition aircraft launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the IS militants in northern Syria, near Aleppo city. The operation was carried out under the name “Shield of the Euphrates.”
The expert noted that YPG and PYD were supported by the US, but vice-president of the US Joe Biden during his visit to Turkey this week summoned them to cross back Euphrates river.
Moreover, Russia has allowed Turkey to conduct those air and ground operations in Syria, he said. As an answer, Turkey has recognized that Syrian President Bashar Assad removal is not urgent and imperative.
"What is important is the fact that Russia and US have given their blessing to the Turkish military action and refrain Kurds' ambitions," Allard noted.
It means that Turkey, despite lacking cooperation in the fight against the IS, is back in the political process of Syrian conflict resolution, said the french general.
But this resolution is yet to be expected, he believes.
Allard noted that YPG and PYD slashed back by their allies, means a possible decrease of their members, who are willing to fight.
However he noted that YPG and PYD were the only «proxies» on the ground that made the American way of fighting look effective, and Turkish army will never be used against IS with same vigor.
The French general believes that the only effective action Turkey should conduct to effectively fight the IS is to strengthen control over the smuggling roads on the border with Syria.
Speaking about influence of the situation in Syria on the migration crisis in Europe, Allard noted that this crisis is due not just because of factors rooted in the long civil war in Iraq and Syria, but also because of inability of the European countries to define and apply a migration policy.
According to the expert, that wrong migration policy was present long before 2011 and the Middle East chaos, and it favored multiple roads of migration from Libya, Morocco and etc. coming from multiple parts of the world, for multiple reasons (political, economic, European welfare, social help, …).
The Syrian migration is the result of two reasons, according to Allard. According to him, people took advantage of the situation and this, in turn, led to lack of control, giving the IS the opportunity to cross European borders.
Allard added that the Turkish government favored migration as means to develop its anti-European policy.
Allard also noted that a notable lot of those having committed attacks in Europe, including France, Belgium, Germany, are citizens of these countries, educated in opposition to European civilization.
These people, according to Allard, are addicted to violence, and are ready to listen to any calls for murdering European citizens.
“So, ISIS just has to call for hate and hundreds are ready to answer,” the expert said.
Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The “Islamic State” (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh) is the most active terrorist group in Syria.
Edited by SI