(North Press) – Politicians and analysts accuse Syrian armed groups of subordination to Turkey in Turkish-occupied northern Syria, especially after these areas witnessed radical changes in terms of dealing in the Turkish lira since the Caesar Act was implemented in the mid-June.
However, politicians living in Syrian opposition-controlled areas, which is about 10% of Syrian territory, deny the accusations.
Critics believe the problem is not limites to changing the currency. The Turkish language became official in schools, and its use became common in introducing local official institutions. Each region has a Turkish governor which supervises its administration.
Regarding these developments, Syrian dissident Adnan al-Debs says it is a gradual preparatory process to separate the region geographically and economically from its general surroundings by blocking all social and private means of communication physically, and even virtually.
Al-Debs added that the Turkish incursion into northern Syria threatens the future of Syria as well as its land and people, especially since the Syrian opposition is helping Turkey implement its agendas at Syria's expense.
The spokesman for the Political Committee in Idlib, Mohammed al-Salama, denied the adoption of the Turkish language as an official language, stating that "this is pure lies and slander."
However, the Secretary-General of the opposition Syrian Justice Party, Muhammad Nur Hamidi, likened the insertion of the Turkish language in schools to English or French, just as as the Syrian government teaches the Russian language.
The fighters of the armed opposition groups hold the Turkish flag on their shoulders, and the Turkish flag flies over the headquarters of these groups along with the flag of the Syrian revolution, according to critics.
In this context, Syrian political analyst Bassam al-Bunni described the armed opposition groups of the Syrian National Army as terrorists, noting there is an honest opposition not affiliated with Turkey.
Dutch political analyst Wladimir van Wilgenburg, who studies the Syrian crisis, says these armed groups claim they are against this division, but in reality they prefer Turkish occupation to the Syrian regime.
"Armed opposition held-areas are now dealing in the Turkish pound, students are learning the Turkish language, and Turkish flags are flying everywhere," he added.
Amy Austin Holmes, associate professor of Sociology at American University in Cairo and a fellow at the Wilson Center, said the Kurds have always been accused of being separatists, but foreign flags and foreign currency are clearly seen in Turkish-occupied northwestern Syria.
Human rights reports accuse Turkey of engaging in demographic change, in addition to ongoing violations against the indigenous population in the areas it controls, especially against the Kurds.
Al-Bunni linked the current events in northern Syria with what happened to the Iskenderun region, originally a Syrian territory, which was annexed by Turkey.
However, al-Debs stressed the fate of the Syrian north, which will be subject to objectives planned by Turkey for its own benefit in the long run at the expense of the people.
Report by Hosheng Hasan, editing by Lucas Chapman)