Turkish artillery bombarded the Syrian border areas. Ankara says its actions in combating the IG, but the victims were civilians. Damascus officially demands to stop violating the country’s sovereignty, but it is unlikely it will alarm Erdogan enjoys continued support of the United States. Experts note: the Turkish military aggression may be directed to the protection of its controlled fighters.
The military forces of Turkey shelled the border region of Syria, the Foreign Ministry said on the eve of the SAR. One blow was struck on the outskirts of the port city of Latakia. “The Turkish authorities continued to conduct artillery fire on the villages of Jabal Ater border area in the north of the province of Latakia, whereby there are victims among the civilian population”, – quotes agency SANA statement by the Foreign Ministry. Actions artillery seems to have deep motives, one of which may be protected by militias fighting against the forces of Bashar al-Assad.
«On the border with the Syrian province of Latakia can fire with the aim of covering the so-called Turcoman groups »
Victims Ankara
Damascus has sounded the alarm about the actions of Ankara, which threatened the lives of ordinary people. “The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic believes such actions are a flagrant violation of international law and a crime against the civilian population of Syria, as well as demands from the Turkish government to abandon such practices violate the sovereignty of Syria and to respect the norms of international law,” – Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Also, the document states that the management of CAP requires the international community to exert pressure on the Turkish government for the cessation of such crimes and to force Ankara to comply with UN resolutions. At the same time Damascus has warned that in case of a repetition of aggression will act not only through diplomatic channels, “Syria reserves the right in its sole discretion at any time and by any means to respond to this heinous crime,” – said a source in the Foreign Ministry.
However, the Turkish side does not conceal that periodically conducts shelling Syrian territory. However, all of his actions, it motivates the fight against the IG position which supposedly located near the border. Last time it was reported on January 28: if the Turkish military opened fire with tanks and artillery on positions of militants allegedly after a group of Turkish soldiers came under attack in the province of Gaziantep in the south.
However, the explanation of Ankara are being questioned, including in military circles. Thus, the source RIA “News” reported that under the cover of artillery to the Turkish border Turkey retreating armed groups of terrorists fighting in Latakia. “Turkey has repeatedly artillery opened fire at a time when terrorist groups rolled up their positions and were taken from battle stations”, – he said. The interviewee added that artillery has precisely the positions of the Syrian army. This documented evidence of shells hitting in places where there are civilians.
The version that Ankara covers fire fighters retreat from their positions, it is likely, according to the military expert, editor of “Arsenal Fatherland” Viktor Murakhovski. “Reports that the Turks used the artillery to fire on the territory of Syria, was in 2012. In some cases, specifically stated that they shot on the formation of the Syrian Kurds. Do not rule out that the border with the Syrian province of Latakia, they can be fired for the purpose of covering the so-called Turcoman groups, “- he said in an interview with the newspaper VIEW.
According to the video, there is some more work tools, maybe fire platoon or battery, said the expert. “This is called a fire on the individual identified targets, but not concentrated fire stations, as the Division should work” – he added.
The battle on the border
This is not the first case when the Turkish forces attack Syrian territory. The evidence that it is the Turkish artillery shelled border areas have previously been provided by the Russian side. On Monday, the speaker of the Russian Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov showed video of a captured part of the Syrian-Turkish border. The footage clearly shows how the shot and where the shells explode issued. “This facility is a Turkish border outpost, where a few months ago there was no fire points,” – said Konashenkov.
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Ministry of Defense recently received video footage from the Syrian General Staff, which show that “at the present Turkish outpost deployed artillery positions caliber self-propelled artillery,” Konashenkova quotes RIA “Novosti”. He stressed that the military department received video footage of one of the detachments of the patriotic opposition, which also shows that the data is self-propelled artillery bombardment of the territory of the SAR exercise and, in particular, cross-border settlements. “This is called a fact. This is irrefutable proof that the Turkish armed forces carried out the shelling of the Syrian border settlements from large-caliber artillery systems “, – he said, adding that the Defense Ministry is waiting for a fast response and an explanation of the actions of the Turkish armed forces by the representatives of NATO and the Pentagon.
«Those who warns us about some of the consequences of not having understood what had happened, must themselves first of all think about what a trap they involve Turkish partners”, – said the representative of the Ministry of Defense. Earlier, Turkey has accused Russia of violating its airspace.
Note that no response from the NATO allies, Turkey has been received. Previously, only the representatives of the United States expressed its strong support to the Ankara due to its struggle against the IG. “Attempts on Daishev inside Syria, applied by members of the coalition – it’s a good step. That is what we want, “- he said at a briefing the US State Department spokesman John Kirby. Data on the shelling of civilians, he did not want to comment. “I do not have specific data on the Turkish military operations”, – he said, adding only that the United States “supports the sovereignty of Syria».
The situation on the border of Syria and Turkey is of great concern to Russia, which supports the government of Bashar al-Assad against terrorists IG. Moscow has repeatedly urged to ensure transparency of the border, including to prevent the illegal routes smuggled oil smuggling which, according to the Defense Ministry, not just through Latakia. On border protection rush new forces. “Russia is also renovated and modernized the Syrian MiG-29. The upgraded fighters will be used for the protection of Russian aircraft in Syria, in addition, Syrian Air Force received a clear indication to shoot down Turkish plane in case of violation of the border “, – said the source familiar with the situation.
The War inside and out
The situation on the border of Syria and Turkey remains tense, and on both sides. South-eastern provinces of Turkey itself are virtually under martial law. These areas are populated mainly by Kurds, who actually lead a guerrilla war with the central government. Ankara is using the armed forces and the police, conducting repression against the Kurdish population. In the south-eastern provinces are constantly Turkish tanks. At the same time the Turkish media is actually forbidden to cover the events.
Especially the situation has tightened in the last few months. So often there are reports of attacks by the Turkish military against civilians, as well as acts of terrorism committed by the Turkish security forces near the position. Recently, the network has a video where the shooting captured a peaceful funeral procession in the town of Cizre in the province of Sirnak. According to one version, could be among the mourners militia fighters, the Turkish authorities declared illegal. However, it is clear that all parties involved are unarmed.
Video caught the attention of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein, who called immediately investigate this “frankly shocking incident”. Also indignation aroused by the UN representative that the operator who performed the survey, in which he himself was injured, will be arrested after released from the hospital. “Movie cruelty is not a crime, and the shooting of unarmed civilians, most likely, is, – he said. – In Turkey, an alarming number of journalists and other media workers have either already in custody or awaiting trial, “- he added, and called for respect for human rights and in particular freedom of expression. Answer Ankara has yet been received.
«It may be a” casus belli »
A specialist on the Middle East, an expert on Turkey Stanislav Tarasov said that the shelling of border Syrian territories by Turkey carried out often, but not always recorded in the media. “Turkey is taking part in the fighting in the border areas. Often they violate the state border. Earlier, Turkish aircraft violated Syrian airspace until the Russian VKS – he explains in an interview with the newspaper VIEW. – But if Russia’s presence in Syria is based on the intergovernmental agreement and a legal basis, the actions of the Western coalition led by the US, which includes Turkey, have no legal basis, “- said the expert.
Tarasov notes note that the military operations against the backdrop of the overall inconsistency of the composition of the so-called opposition, presented at the Geneva talks. If the US and Russia supported the participation in the dialogue of the Syrian Kurds, Turkey is not only opposed, but insists on the participation in them of Syrian Turkomans. “And if you look at the geography, it is a struggle for Turkomans. Russian plane shot down over the Turkomans. Turkish artillery shelling is carried out in an area where the Turkomans. Most likely, Turkey, as well as in the eastern part of the country, to clean its own Kurds, and here they are trying to somehow squeeze government troops from the zone in Syria, “- he said.
«By all indications, when a territory of neighboring States applied artillery strikes, it may be a” casus belli “, that is a cause for war. Syria in this situation can accuse Turkey of an act of aggression, but whether it will start fighting – it’s a big question. I doubt, “- said the expert. He noted that the Syrian military tangle focused too much force, and representatives of other countries – the number is nearing one hundred countries. “The situation is not a classic. It should be broad international conflict “, – he said.
US is unlikely to act on this issue, because they have already a lot of problems right now, said Tarasov. “Turks provoke NATO to aggravate Russia to provoke the Americans. But, by all accounts, they did not, – the expert believes. – The situation that is emerging in the eastern provinces of Turkey and neighboring Syria, about the same: there are fights. In addition, Iran went out and spread his wings, becoming sharply dominant power in the region. Here is the result of “greatness of Turkey”, – says the expert.
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