Arrival of resistance forces in northern Syria: Erdogan’s failed political calculations

By Ramin Hosseinabadian

In response to the Turkish army’s incursion into north Syria, the Syrian army entered Tabqah and deployed forces near the military airport in Raqqa province in the early hours of Monday. Tabaqa military airport is located near the Euphrates Dam, one of the biggest and most important dams in Syria, which was lost during the bloody battle between the Syrian army and ISIS in August 2014. 

Media sources speak of a great agreement between Kurds in northern Syria and the Damascus government. Following a long meeting, it was agreed that there would be a complete coordination between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus across all areas under the control of SDF. This could be the beginning of Syria’s control over the eastern Euphrates. 

The Turkish army and its affiliated militia have occupied Tell Abiad, Solouk and Mabroukeh towns as well as the villages in the southwestern outskirts of Hasakah. Now, they are approaching Ain Issa on the north of Raqqa. Therefore, the next steps that should be taken by the Syrian army will likely be a deployment in the northern and western outskirts of Raqqa to stop the invading Turkish army. 

In this regard, the Kurds have struck a deal with Russia to hand over Ain al Arab (Kobani) to Syria, Ismat Sheikh Hassan, one of the military commanders of SDF, has said.

The fact is that the arrival of the Syrian army and resistance forces in northern Syria has unbalanced all the calculations of Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish forces had assumed that they could occupy some parts of Syria through their operations in the north and the northeast. Turkish troops had sought to establish an autonomous state in north and northeast Syria, so they launched Operation Peace Spring. But the intervention by the Syrian army and resistance forces to defend the territorial integrity and to protect their national sovereignty aborted Ankara’s last plans. 

Earlier, Ankara had been warned that if tensions in northern Syria were to escalate, army and resistance groups in the country would extend their efforts to stabilize the eastern Euphrates. However, Turkish officials ignored those warnings.

It seems that the arrival of resistance forces and the change of Erdogan’s calculations can put an end to illegal operations of Turkish forces against Syria as an independent and sovereign state. It should be noted that because of successive achievements against the Takfiri terrorism, the resistance movement in Syria is at its best condition. 

It is obvious that the current developments in the north and northeast Syria due to the arrival of resistance forces have entered a new phase. Undoubtedly, the Syrian resistance forces will overcome the Turkish army in any possible military conflicts, and will not allow Erdogan’s dreams come true.