Seth J. Frantzman
Jerusalem Post, May 24, 2022
“Ankara, which claims to be a “NATO ally,” supports extremists and groups linked to terrorists while claiming to be “fighting terrorists.” The regime has also hosted Hamas terrorist leaders.”
Turkey has threatened a new invasion of Syria similar to the ones in October 2019 and January 2018 that resulted in the widespread ethnic cleansing of Kurds, Yazidis and other minorities.
In comments this week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara was planning a new military operation. This could result in demographic change, as Turkey has vowed to return Syrian refugees, who are mostly Arabs, to the “safe zone” it wants to create.
In the past, Ankara’s invasions led to Kurds and other minorities being persecuted and forced to flee and extremist groups taking hold in Turkish-run areas.
Turkey’s far-right regime, which mixes extreme nationalism and religious fundamentalism rooted in the Muslim Brotherhood, has vowed to create a “safe zone” along the border. This is similar to the “safe zone” it created in October 2019 when it caused 200,000 people to flee and invaded eastern Syria.
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