IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Recently, there has been political and military changes on the ground in Syria, the most recent of which was Turkish steps to reconcile with the Syrian government and the countdown given to the Syrian opposition to leave Turkey amid Russian messages to accelerate the application.
The change in the Turkish regime’s position towards Syria has become clear. The main actor in this is Russia which does not spare efforts to bring the two sides closer to put aside their differences, according to official statements and the reality on the ground.
However, the most challenging issue in bringing the countries together lies in the Turkish desire to include the Syrian opposition in talks with Damascus.
Two days ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he wanted to meet the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had he come to the 22nd Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, according to Hurriyet.
This coincides with a Turkish escalation against areas held by the opposition factions affiliated with Turkey in northwest Syria in an indication to Ankara on the necessity of accelerating the reconciliation with Damascus.
Higher profile meetings
On September 15, Reuters cited a regional source aligned with the Syrian government as saying that Hakan Fidan, head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), and Syrian intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk met as recently as this week in the Syrian capital Damascus.
During the meetings, Fidan and Mamlouk evaluated how the two countries’ foreign ministers could eventually meet, a senior Turkish official and a Turkish security source told Reuters.
The recent meetings – including a two-day visit by Fidan to Damascus at the end of August – had sought to pave the way for conversations at a higher level, the source said.
Are media circulated reports reliable?
Russian and Iranian affiliated media outlets have recently circulated that Turkish authorities have notified members of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) to leave Turkish soil before the end of 2022. If true, this means the Ankara- based Syrian opposition is counting down its presence on Turkish soil.
In turn, Sputnik claimed the decision was taken by the Turkish intelligence services based on a political one which has recently adopted on the background of Moscow’s efforts to reconcile Syria with Turkey.
According to the Russian agency, members of the SNC were told by Turkish intelligence services of the necessity to find another place to practice politics, however, outside Turkey and to end all media and political activities by the coalition by the end of the year as maximum.
However, those having Turkish citizenship or permanent residence cards willing to remain on Turkish soil could do that however on condition not to practice any media and political activities.
Two weeks ago, the Iranian Tasnim news agency reported that Turkey asked the Syrian coalition to leave Turkish soil.
However, such reports were denied by the SNC in two separate statements saying Turkish officials did not notify members of the coalition of such a decision reported by the Russian and Iranian agencies.
However, the reality on the ground may show something else. Turkey, in fellowship with Qatar, has reduced the financial amounts given to the SNC and withdrew privileges enjoyed by leaders and members living on Turkish soil in addition a number of offices were closed down.
Turkey prioritizes reconciliation with the Syrian government to find a solution for nearly four million Syrian refugees living in Turkey which is exploited by the Turkish opposition against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) led by Erdogan in the presidential elections scheduled for next summer.
However, Turkey is not going to give up the coalition proper. It wants to use it as a card in the Russian- sponsored current negotiations with the Syrian government.
A source aligned with the Syrian government told a media outlet that Erdogan wants his share of any coming solution in Syria, politically and economically, and to open the way for his exports to the Gulf States.
For this reason, the source says, Erdogan will not give up such a card. All his acts are to press the coalition to act in line with the new Turkish policy towards Syria and to draw a line between the moderate coalition and other terror- classified factions that ought to be liquidated before going to the Sochi understandings and the articles of the Adana agreement.
Russian escalation
In a step that substantiates the aforementioned points; Russian forces have intensified their escalation on areas under the opposition factions’ control in northwest Syria.
On Saturday, Russian fighter jets renewed their bombardment of areas in the countryside of Idlib in northwest Syria.
This coincides with the entry of a UN provided humanitarian aid to Idlib coming from Syrian government areas.
An opposition military source told North Press that four Russian fighter jets S-24 and S-34 models targeted the outskirts of the city of Idlib with some ten raids.
Secret talks between the two countries are accelerating amid reports of an imminent agreement. Erdogan wants reconciliation before the elections and he seems complying with Syrian demands and reducing the SNC roles and rights could be a first step in such a track.