IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – With deep concern, the 43-year-old Mo’yad Smaisem, a resident of the city of Binnish 5 kilometers in east of Idlib, northwest Syria, is following news and statements talking about Turkish threats to launch a military operation against northeast Syria.
Smaisem’s deep concern is attributed to the fear of handing areas in Idlib to the Syrian government forces that people are used to witness in each military operation Turkey launches in northeast Syria.
He fears of being displaced to camps on Syrian-Turkish border in case the government takes control over his city, which is only few kilometers from the border.
On May 23, Erdogan announced taking steps to complete the so-called remained portions of the “safe zone” plan along Turkey’s southern border saying, “We will soon take new steps regarding the incomplete portions of the project we started on the 30 km deep safe zone we established along our southern border.”
The Turkish “safe zone” is an area of 30-35 km (19-22 miles) deep into Syrian territory that Turkey started establishing in 2019 to house Syrian refugees in an area along its border with Syria, as well as to keep it free from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which it regards as terrorists.
On May 25, Turkey’s National Security Council said that Turkey’s “existing and future military operations along its southern borders were necessary for the country’s security.” In the meeting, Erdogan delivered a speech to the MPs of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and said, “Turkish military would continue to rid its neighbour of terrorists” refers to the SDF.
On June 1, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his threats of launching a military operation on northern Syria, and specified his targets in the two Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat, which include many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Erdogan’s remarks have given a rise to feelings of horror and fear among residents and IDPs in both southern and eastern countryside of Idlib. They fear that the potential new military operation in the area may lead to cut other parts of areas in Idlib.
Those people fear that the Turkish forces will hand parts of these areas to the government forces in turn for either seizing new areas in northeast Syria or gaining deals regarding trade or arms.
Syrian activists are expecting that the government forces, in case reaching an agreement with Turkey, will gain control over Zawiya Mountain in south of Idlib and the city of Jisr al-Shughur in the west aiming at taking control over Aleppo-Latakia Highway (M4).
An estimate of more than one million and a half civilians, including thousands of IDPs, reside in the areas located to the south of the M4 Highway and Jisr al-Shughur, according to reports.
Turkey cares for its interests only
Smaisem returned to his house in Binnish a year and a half ago following the military operations the area had witnessed and that ended with the government taking control over the neighboring city of Saraqib as well as scores of other areas.
He, other residents and IDPs that North Press met with said that this took place in turn for seizing different areas east of the Euphrates by Turkey. This bartering process caused millions of residents in the countryside of Idlib, Aleppo and Hama to flee their houses.
Recent Turkish military escalation on the frontlines of Idlib has increased the fears of the residents of northwest Syria after the Turkish president’s statements about a new military operation in northern Syria.
“Turkey cares for its own interests only. Its intervention in Idlib and the neighboring areas caused the Syrian revolution to suffer from massive losses,” he said.
He further explained, saying, “The regime forces took control over many areas. If Turkey did not hand over the areas to the Syrian regime, the latter would never be able to restore control over them.”
Turkey turned the Syrian opposition factions into a toy, according to Smaisem.
The government forces, with Russian support, launched a military operation in the countryside of Idlib, Hama and Aleppo between April 2019 and February 2020.
The operation ended up with the government taking control over the entire northern countryside of Hama, which was the first line of defense to protect Idlib, in addition to vast swathes in the southern countryside of Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo.
This took place despite the deployment of dozens of Turkish posts in the above mentioned areas.
The military operation then caused displacement of more than one million and a half of civilians towards the Syrian-Turkish border.
Turkey is complicit in killing Syrians
The 38-year-old Hashem al-Khatib, a resident of Ariha, also voiced concern over a new potential displacement to camps on Syria-Turkey border.
Al-Khatib, who returned to his city two years ago following a relative calm there, stressed that he no longer trusts the Turkish posts and the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, also known as Syrian National Army (SNA).
“The inactivity of the 60 Turkish posts deploying in Idlib indicates that they [Turkish forces] are complicit in killing the Syrians and that Turkey cares only about its interests,” he said.
“Turkish policy indicated that even red lines are tradable and everything is negotiable either secretly or publicly,” the 32-year-old Baha’ Suleiman said in reference to the areas in Idlib that the opposition lost to the favor of the government in turn for Turkey to seize others in east of the Euphrates.
Suleiman got displaced from his house in the town of Qamhana in the countryside of Hama governorate in mid-2012, and headed to the countryside of Idlib for fear of being arrested by the government forces.
Successive military operations in Idlib forced him to flee from and to different areas more than four times, and he ended up in the town of Sarmin in east of Idlib.
“I feel unrest over any military operation that Turkey launches either in northwest or northeast Syria,” he added.
He further explained, “The Turkish promises of protection and guarantees are untrusted temporary ones that collapse once any political or geographical change occurs.”