Turkey turns Syria’s Afrin to safe haven for al-Nusra, ISIS – SDF
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – On Saturday, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said confrontations between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) and Turkish-backed Syrian National Army factions in Afrin and Aleppo northern countryside serve as a cover for Turkish role in turning the region again to a safe haven for “ISIS and al-Nusra Front.”
In a series of tweets, Head of SDF Media Center, Farhad al-Shami, said, “It makes no difference who will control Afrin and other occupied Syrian areas whether al-Nusra or others. All are occupying parties and we see these areas as occupied areas that should be liberated.”
For days, the areas occupied by the Turkish-backed SNA factions in Aleppo northern countryside have been witnessing fierce clashes between the SNA factions and HTS, yielding in the latter taking control over Afrin.
Al-Shami stressed that gaining control over Afrin by HTS occurred “via Turkish blessing due to field and political reasons.”
The Head of the SDF Media Center refused attempts to whitewash Turkey, adding, “Some parties try to keep Turkey away from suspicion of involvement in the recent developments in Afrin.”
“The goal of the latest battles in Afrin is raising dust to obscure Turkey’s role in turning the region to a safe haven for ISIS and al-Nusra and setting off from there again to Syrian interior,” he added.
He went further saying that “mercenaries” of the Turkish-backed SNA try to convince public opinion that they are “surprised” that al-Nusra attacks Afrin and Azaz.
Former president of Syrian National Coalition (SNC) Naser al-Hariri mocked President of Syrian Interim Government who posted a tweet over developments in Afrin.
Al-Hariri said with a mocking tune saying, “Yes, Abu Ghanoum did not get martyred or assassinated, but it was a representational image only, as shelling was firecracker.”