Turkish analyst: HTS control of Khan Shaykhun impeded Turkey’s intervention to stop

A Turkish political analyst told North-Press that Turkey is following two tracks through political pressure and arms supplies for the Syrian armed opposition groups, and that the presidential meeting in Moscow is an absolute evidence of a dispute between Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Erdogan.

The Turkish political analyst Firas Ridwan Oglu stressed that Turkey did not interfere in the Syrian government forces’ control over the city of Khan Shaykhun, “because Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (previously al-Nusra Front) was the former dominant forces over Khan Shaykhun.”

Ridwan Oglu said that Turkey “has not withdrawn, and if it does, it will withdraw from all Turkish points in the northern region, and this would mean a significant defeat for Turkey, so I do not think it will remain in the region with the consensus of Russia and Iran that the region will be handed over to Damascus, but according to conditions that there will be no new constitution, and other things like integrating the opposition groups.”

He pointed out that this is related to the north and east of Syria, and Turkey will not observe the entire north, “Turkey is unlikely to accept further approach of Syrian government forces to the Turkish borders, because it will thwart them within the limits of national security along with the armed opposition groups.

He stressed that Turkey would interfere in the Syrian government advance in northern Syria, while wondering, would the confrontation take place with Russia here?! Russia knows that the Syrian government forces are not allowed to approach the borders with Turkey and the latter will not allow it to do so, even the United States and Europe will not allow new waves of displacement from the region to occur.

According to Ridwan Oglu, the armed opposition groups will be deployed alongside Turkish forces along northern Syria and there will be “a political and constitutional solution, and new negotiations,” as he said.

Regarding the meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin, Ridwan Oglu stressed that the meeting “is an evidence of a dispute between the two presidents, and there will be no positive results from resolving this dispute.”

“Turkey is pursuing two tracks through political pressure and providing opposition groups with advanced weaponry, in order to stop the Syrian air strikes,” he said.

The Turkish political analyst Firas Radwan Oglu added that Turkey must set a course, either to declare its defeat or determination, otherwise,  there will be no solution that engages all parties.