• Turkey-backed Syrian rebels clash with army in north
    4 replies, posted
[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-clash-idUSKBN1660PU[/url] [QUOTE]Turkey-backed Syrian rebel groups clashed with government forces near a city in northern Syria that the rebels recently captured from Islamic State, sources on both sides said, the second such confrontation in the region this month.[/QUOTE] [editline]27th February 2017[/editline] Map of the situation credits go to syriancivilwarmap.com [IMG_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/txD6mkz.png[/IMG_thumb] Red = Gov Yellow = Syrian Democratic Forces Light Blue = Turkish-backed rebels Black = ISIS/ISIL/DAESH The clashes happened around the town Tadif, south of the recently captured al-bab by Turkish-back rebels.
What is Turkey even doing in Syria? This is a invasion, no one allowed them in.
Is SDF fighting with the Turkish backed rebels?
[QUOTE=Careld;51882459]Is SDF fighting with the Turkish backed rebels?[/QUOTE] No but the Ottomans keep claiming they are going to conquer Manbij next. SDF have built networks of trenches around the city and outer areas to protect them. The Efrin Kurds however have been having clashes with the rebels but have been able to keep them at bay.
[QUOTE=Careld;51882459]Is SDF fighting with the Turkish backed rebels?[/QUOTE] They have clashed on the front lines of Afrin and Manbij(mostly shelling and skirmishes), but there has been no serious offensives. However, Erdogan and the TFSA(Turkish-backed rebels) have stated they intend to take Manbij from the SDF. In response the SDF said they will halt their offensive on the Raqqa countryside against ISIS if they are attacked. Pictured is north-Aleppo countryside for reference Afrin canton in the west and the SDF controlled area of Manbij in the east. [IMG_thumb]http://i.imgur.com/F7GmZES.png[/IMG_thumb] [editline]27th February 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=vrej;51882248]What is Turkey even doing in Syria? This is a invasion, no one allowed them in.[/QUOTE] The Turkish incursion was a part of the Turkish-Russian agreement. However, the rebels are not supposed to attack the Government as part of the deal. Erodogan is in a sticky situation as it is hard to control the groups that make up the rebels in this northern area. If they continue to attack the government and he supports them he risks losing relations with the Russians, but if he backs off the rebels it would be bad PR for his constitutional referendum in April. I'm in class at the moment so i'm unable to look for proper sources at the moment but here is the wiki page for the intervention and the referendum: [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_military_intervention_in_Syria[/url] [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_constitutional_referendum,_2017[/url] [editline]27th February 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=Adamnetwork;51882481] The Efrin Kurds however have been having clashes with the rebels but have been able to keep them at bay.[/QUOTE] Afrin is a fortress and they are completely dedicated to that front. I am more worried about Manbij as an attack on that front could slow the anti-ISIS operations around Raqqa and DeZ.
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