• Turkish tanks roll into northern Syria
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[QUOTE][B]A dozen Turkish tanks have rolled across the Syrian border after heavy shelling of an area held by so-called Islamic State.[/B] Military sources told Turkish media 70 targets in the Jarablus area had been destroyed by artillery and rocket strikes, and 12 by air strikes. Turkish special forces entered Syria earlier as part of the offensive. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the operation was aimed against both IS and Kurdish fighters. [B]Turkey shelled Syrian Kurdish forces in the region this week[/B], determined not to let them fill the vacuum if IS leaves, the BBC's Mark Lowen reports from Gaziantep, near the Syrian border. [/QUOTE] [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37171995"]Source[/URL] RIP in peace, best shot at this not ending up with Assad again.
Oh boy,this is not good for the Kurds in Syria.
[QUOTE=Sgt.Kickass;50938767]Oh boy,this is not good for the Kurds in Syria.[/QUOTE] Turkey's worries and hostility towards them is, honestly, well-grounded. Where do you think all those TOW missiles are gonna end up once the Syrian boogaloo is over? Still, fuck them. Turkey has gone down the shitter real quick over the last five years, and them bombing the west's boots-on-the-ground only to put in their own Turkmen fighters by the busload right behind their tanks is a complete bullshit move only working to destabilize the region even more.
Around Syrian Opposition 2,000 fighters in addition to 50 Turkish Special Forces. [URL="https://twitter.com/archicivilians/status/768317468498616324"]Source[/URL]. Approximately [URL="https://twitter.com/NorthernStork/status/768366664652038144"]25 Turkish tanks[/URL] are supporting this offensive. Operation is apparently named [URL="https://twitter.com/QalaatAlMudiq/status/768385008188977153"]Euphrates Shield[/URL], and [URL="https://twitter.com/Dalatrm/status/768385100384010240"]first phase of offensive[/URL] is to capture surrounding villages before going straight to Jarabulus.
Thanksgiving is coming up
[URL="http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-joins-turkish-forces-to-launch-push-against-islamic-state-in-syria-1472016805"]US joins Syrian rebels and Turkish armed forces in their offensive against ISIS in North Aleppo[/URL]. Edit: [URL="https://twitter.com/MarQs__/status/768400548877963264"]Assad's regime Foreign Ministry denounces of Turkish tanks crossing Syria border[/URL]. This shoots down the speculations that Erdogan and Assad had strike a deal over this.
This will probably mark the escalation of fighting in SDF/YPG territories and a further weakening of Assad's regime. If the FSA has direct backing from the Turks in the North, there's no way in Hell the SAA/NDF is going to parry them, judging by what their performance record has been in retrospective.
[QUOTE=Sgt.Kickass;50938767]Oh boy,this is not good for the Kurds in Syria.[/QUOTE] They never had a chance to begin with. They were stuck in an are a where 3 forces were against them, 2 of them being militaries and the other a brutal militia group.
[QUOTE=CroGamer002;50938937][URL="http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-joins-turkish-forces-to-launch-push-against-islamic-state-in-syria-1472016805"]US joins Syrian rebels and Turkish armed forces in their offensive against ISIS in North Aleppo[/URL]. Edit: [URL="https://twitter.com/MarQs__/status/768400548877963264"]Assad's regime Foreign Ministry denounces of Turkish tanks crossing Syria border[/URL]. This shoots down the speculations that Erdogan and Assad had strike a deal over this.[/QUOTE] Or they agreed to allow turkey wreck havok on kurds. Keeping in mind that erdogan had only previously met with Putin, one can only wonder how it all plays out.
[QUOTE=karimatrix;50939013]Or they agreed to allow turkey wreck havok on kurds. Keeping in mind that erdogan had only previously met with Putin, one can only wonder how it all plays out.[/QUOTE] Those meetings led to nowhere though. And US would never tolerate such plans to undermine SDF rebels, yet here they are aiding this offensive while regime is denouncing it. [editline]24th August 2016[/editline] [img_thumb]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cqntq94UEAAN5C5.jpg[/img_thumb] [URL="https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/768406857199255553"]Source[/URL]. Current Syrian rebels and Turkish military gains since they entered Syria 6 hours ago.
[QUOTE=CroGamer002;50939027]Those meetings led to nowhere though.[/QUOTE] Quite an assumption. Do not mistake official parts and discussion behind locked doors. Kremlin's reaction (or lack of it as of now) is sure gonna fit in picture later.
[QUOTE=karimatrix;50939056]Quite an assumption. Do not mistake official parts and discussion behind locked doors. Kremlin's reaction (or lack of it as of now) is sure gonna fit in picture later.[/QUOTE] We shall see. It took couple of hours for Assad's regime to make a statement, it will take even longer for Putin. Especially due to Russia doing a major military build up on Southeastern Ukraine border and Crimea.
Saw this coming a mile away, second the kurds pushed far enough to threaten fully closing turkey off from ISIS controlled territory they suddenly roll in everything. God forbid they lose the ability to buy all that ISIS oil.
[QUOTE=archival;50939087]Saw this coming a mile away, second the kurds pushed far enough to threaten fully closing turkey off from ISIS controlled territory they suddenly roll in everything. God forbid they lose the ability to buy all that ISIS oil.[/QUOTE] Turkey doesn't buy ISIS oil, in fact that oil smuggling is allowed by Assad's regime, Syrian Opposition and Kurdish rebels. Why? Because they all take some cut in profits and because it's civilians that do that oil smuggling, not ISIS. This oil smuggling ring had existed for decades before this war and it still ongoing freely through Kurdish controlled Syria.
[QUOTE=CroGamer002;50939104]Turkey doesn't buy ISIS oil, in fact that oil smuggling is allowed by Assad's regime, Syrian Opposition and Kurdish rebels. Why? Because they all take some cut in profits and because it's civilians that do that oil smuggling, not ISIS. This oil smuggling ring had existed for decades before this war and it still ongoing freely through Kurdish controlled Syria.[/QUOTE] Ive heard/read alot that says otherwise but since you seem to know everything about every major player in syria/turkey then what other possible benefit would turkey be getting by being directly connected to ISIS territory. If they didn't want the kurds along their border they would have done this alot sooner.
I wonder if Russia and Turkey are buddy buddy now and want to extinguish Assad for territorial gain. Either that or Russia will probably try and kick Turkey's ass. Either way this can be really bad.
[QUOTE=archival;50939128]Ive heard/read alot that says otherwise but since you seem to know everything about every major player in syria/turkey then what other possible benefit would turkey be getting by being directly connected to ISIS territory. If they didn't want the kurds along their border they would have done this alot sooner.[/QUOTE] Turkey was trying to invade Syria for past year and half and implement safe zone, but not without US being along with them. US refused to do so up until recently. And you seem to forget that Turkey is right now [B]INVADING ISIS HELD SYRIA!!![/B] They're in war with ISIS, for Christ sake.
[QUOTE=CroGamer002;50939140]Turkey was trying to invade Syria for past year and half and implement safe zone, but not without US being along with them. US refused to do so up until recently. And you seem to forget that Turkey is right now [B]INVADING ISIS HELD SYRIA!!![/B] They're in war with ISIS, for Christ sake.[/QUOTE] Aren't they also attacking the YPG though. Them taking north Syria will certainly ruffle the feathers of the Kurds. And what about Shia militias allied with Assad, I don't see them having a good day when sunni militias, opposition and Turkish tanks roll into town.
I don't know why people think that they're "Going after ISIS" when a large majority of northeast Syria is Kurdish, and how the government has only discussed demanding that Kurds cross the Euphrates.
[QUOTE=mdeceiver79;50939160]Aren't they also attacking the YPG though. Them taking north Syria will certainly ruffle the feathers of the Kurds. And what about Shia militias allied with Assad, I don't see them having a good day when sunni militias, opposition and Turkish tanks roll into down.[/QUOTE] YPG has not been attacked at all, as of yet. Kurds can't do anything against Turkish military, especially since they heavily rely on US airstrikes against ISIS since siege of Kobane. As for Shia militias, they're currently focused on failing to resiege Eastern Aleppo city. [editline]24th August 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Zillamaster55;50939167]I don't know why people think that they're "Going after ISIS" when a large majority of northeast Syria is Kurdish, and how the government has only discussed demanding that Kurds cross the Euphrates.[/QUOTE] Aleppo province is overwhelmingly populated by Syrian Arabs. Jarabulus city that is main target of this offensive has almost no Kurds living there. Aleppo, specifically northern parts, is Arabic majority region that YPG want to control to connect with Kurdish majority Efrin canton. [editline]24th August 2016[/editline] [img_thumb]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cqn5gWUVIAAY1qZ.jpg:large[/img_thumb] [URL="https://twitter.com/Nrg8000/status/768419659951386625"]Source[/URL]. Syrian rebels and Turkish military are attacking through entire ISIS held Syrian border, not just at Jarabulus. This explains why was this deployment taking so long once it was announced days ago, this is large front offensive and not concentrated push.
[QUOTE=Matthew0505;50939310][URL="http://syriancivilwarmap.com/"]Live Map[/URL] Zoom toward Gaziantep until you see the purple zone. Live Map 2 has KMZ/KML export for map software.[/QUOTE] Not entirely related, but map is inaccurate for Aleppo city as it claims regime holds entire 1070 buildings complex in south, but in reality it's mostly in rebel hands. And also weirdly enough it doesn't give control to regime of a hill overlooking rebel held Ramouseh supply road. Just a warning that map is not very accurate. [editline]24th August 2016[/editline] Over 5000 rebel fighters taking part of this operation, way more then originally claimed 1300 fighters. [URL="https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/768435727646482432"]Source[/URL]. [URL="https://twitter.com/VivaRevolt/status/768440019417763840"]Rebels begun to storm Jarabulus[/URL]! [URL="https://twitter.com/Dalatrm/status/768440530464305152"]Allegedly[/URL], Syrian rebel and Turkish flags raised in parts of Jarabulus. Rebels are right now [URL="https://twitter.com/3z0ooz/status/768442399588843521"]inside Southern parts fo Jarabulus[/URL], as they had circled around ISIS fortification set north of the city by Turkish border
[quote]To allay Turkish concerns, American officials warned the Kurds against advancing on Jarabulus and said they would not support a move on the city with American air power.[/quote] [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/25/world/europe/turkey-syria-ground-insursion.html?&target=comments&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&modref=HPCommentsRefer&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=1#commentsContainer"]9th paragraph[/URL]. [editline]24th August 2016[/editline] [URL="https://twitter.com/BBCBarbaraPlett/status/768448489017802752"]Breaking news[/URL], Biden tells YPG groups to leave SDF territories west of Euphrates river or US will no longer give them any more air support! [URL="https://twitter.com/ragipsoylu/status/768451832368754688"]YPG had began leaving[/URL], other SDF groups will stay. This is a huge victory for Erdogan. He get's his safe zone and ousts YPG out of Aleppo province. [editline]24th August 2016[/editline] Jarabulus is fully liberated, but no ISIS fighters nor civilians in sight. [URL="https://twitter.com/BosnjoBoy/status/768457310939279360"]It's a ghost town[/URL]. ISIS had retreated to town Tabqa, most likely will retreat further to Sawran and Al-Bab cities and fortify. Current situation: [img_thumb]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CqofS8tXgAEnepa.jpg:large[/img_thumb] [URL="https://twitter.com/CivilWarMap/status/768461164443471872"]Source[/URL]. This is speculated goal for this operation: [img_thumb]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CqoWe-_WAAEzSdO.jpg:large[/img_thumb] Note, Al-Rai is in rebel hands for past week. ISIS no longer controls any more border crossings and it effectively cut out from rest of the outside world.
Turkish tank operator taking a selfie with the Sultan Murat Brigade (Turkmens) [t]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CqoI1-VWYAAp5jM.jpg:large[/t]
[QUOTE=Riller;50938774]Turkey's worries and hostility towards them is, honestly, well-grounded. Where do you think all those TOW missiles are gonna end up once the Syrian boogaloo is over? Still, fuck them. Turkey has gone down the shitter real quick over the last five years, and them bombing the west's boots-on-the-ground only to put in their own Turkmen fighters by the busload right behind their tanks is a complete bullshit move only working to destabilize the region even more.[/QUOTE] do you even know what you talk about ? TOWs in Syria, is ex-NATO weapon in most cases and all of sudden they ended in hands of Turkmen and 'rebel' groups in Syria (non Kurdish) ... it turned out Turkey 'phased' them from service and then it swapped hands, just like black market with oil/gas ... Kurd units usually use other ATGMs , TOWs are rarely captured (as they were used too often in past years)
back on the subject, I'm not surprised about this tho because Turkey/Erdogan repeatedly claimed they will prevent Kurds to 'unite' the southern areas and control whole South border of Turkey guess it's nightmare for T gov to imagine that Kurds would be able establish after several hundred years theirs own free state on such large area ...
Let's hope this time around they're here to fight isis, instead of supply them... *cough oil conveys cough*
[QUOTE=crazzyman2288;50940017]Let's hope this time around they're here to fight isis, instead of supply them... *cough oil conveys cough*[/QUOTE] Maybe read a little and you'll notice they are fighting ISIS exclusively. And no, Turkey had never supplied ISIS.
[URL="https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/768459546129858560"]Euphrate Shield offensive phases[/URL]: 1. Capture Jarabulus 2. Connect Jarabulus with Azaz 3. Capture Al-Bab
[img_thumb]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cqo9yF8WYAAedlD.jpg[/img_thumb] SDF rebels without YPG and US support had [URL="https://twitter.com/Syria_Rebel_Obs/status/768494677691551744"]advanced towards empty village[/URL] after ISIS retreated. [URL="https://twitter.com/Syria_Rebel_Obs/status/768499231233548288"]Clashes between FSA rebels and SDF rebels are ongoing[/URL]! Turkish tanks and artillery had [URL="https://twitter.com/Syria_Rebel_Obs/status/768499727805583361"]responded and firing[/URL] at SDF rebels! This a completely foolish move by SDF, they stand no chance without US airstrikes and even less so without YPG. Now they are a legitimate target for Turkey for this attack, whiel they could have just sit tight and be ignored by Turkey as FSA rebels advanced against ISIS. [URL="https://twitter.com/Nrg8000/status/768509594721136640"]Updated map[/URL]: [img_thumb]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CqpLKZuUEAEXK1U.jpg[/img_thumb]
[QUOTE=Dwarden;50939934]do you even know what you talk about ? TOWs in Syria, is ex-NATO weapon in most cases and all of sudden they ended in hands of Turkmen and 'rebel' groups in Syria (non Kurdish) ... it turned out Turkey 'phased' them from service and then it swapped hands, just like black market with oil/gas ... Kurd units usually use other ATGMs , TOWs are rarely captured (as they were used too often in past years)[/QUOTE] Oh yes, because the exact make and model of weapons system was the point of my post, and not the fact that Turkey fears they'll be transfered to PKK-hands once the Syrian funtime is over.
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