Why is Turkey focusing on Manbij at this time?
One of the first areas that were supposed to get the attention of Erdogan and the Turkish state is Manbij. Although IS mercenaries have been stationed since 2014 until mid-2016 and with huge numbers on the border between Turkey and Manbij and were controlling the entire area of Manbij, the Turkish state did not show any position on the matter.
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Now, after the liberation of Manbij by Manbij Military Council with the support of Syrian Democratic Forces in 2016, it has become the object and objective of Turkish operations. Daesh who was created by the Turkish state was defeated by Syrian Democratic Forces in Manbij and therefore Erdogan is never willing to defeat his terrorist gangs.
Now Erdogan is seeking revenge for his mercenaries who have been defeated east of Euphrates, and this is evident in his plans and operations regarding the attacks on Afrin, Manbij, Şengal and Qandil.
Besides this, Erdogan does not accept in any way to distance Daesh from his borders because a presence of Daesh on his borders and in the areas controlled by Turkey guarantees its intervene in Syrian affairs more and ensures its continued presence in those areas.
After Erdogan realized a great danger encircled IS mercenaries on Manbij, and Daesh was about to end, he moved as fast as he could, and brought his terrorist gangs into Jarablus to build a security cordon around Daesh
Defeating Daesh in Manbij was a strong blow to Erdogan because, although Erdogan provided all the possibilities to his mercenaries to carry out the attacks and provided aid to them in all respects, they were defeated in front of Syrian Democratic Forces.
Manbij today is one of the safest and problem-free areas managed by its people
The security Manbij enjoys provokes Erdogan, Erdogan is trying to return Daesh to Manbij once again to expand his control of the Syrian territories again through Manbij. One of the main objectives of attacking Manbij is to restore what he lost in Syria by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), People and Women Protection Units YPG/ YPJ. In addition to this, Erdogan wants to open a crossing for the mercenaries to transport arms, ammunition and soldiers.
Erdogan wants to cover up the internal situation in Turkey and divert attention to Syria. In this context, Erdogan sought to exploit the Syrian crisis and its people to serve its interests and win the elections and to show himself to the world that he is busy in providing security to Syria and its people and wants to free the Syrian people from all forces hostile to them.
In order for Erdogan to convince the world and the international powers of this matter and to achieve his authoritarian interests, he sends his gangs to be killed in Syria, and legitimizes his attacks on the grounds that he is fighting YPG, YPJ protection whom he describes as terrorist.
But People Protection Units announced a while ago that they had withdrawn their military advisers from Manbij. Pentagon spokesman Adrian Rankin Galloway said talks are still ongoing between the United States and Turkey over Turkish military operations in Manbij area.
On June 4, after the meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his American counterpart Mike Pompeo in Washington, they announced in a joint statement that they had met a joint road map on Manbij.
Pentagon spokesman Adrian Rankin Galloway also issued a statement on recent developments, Adrian said that officials in the US and Turkish defense ministries met in Ankara between June 22 and 23 to agree on a roadmap for Manbij and that the agreement is to maintain security in Manbij.
“When will the joint Turkish-American moves begin in Manbij?” Galloway said talks were continuing on the issue?
The People Protection Units announced a while ago that they had withdrawn their military advisers from Manbij and that there was no presence of their fighters in Manbij, there were only a number of military advisers to provide assistance to the people and Manbij military council, YPG explained in their statement that the presence of the advisors was in order to help the people and the military and civil administration in Manbij and now their mission has ended, so they were withdrawn from the city.
After the withdrawal of the fighters of People and Women Protection Units and the establishment of joint mobile teams between US and Turkish forces, the decision of the second phase of the road map between the two countries will be implemented for Manbij within six months.
The local administration and its Military Council, which consists of the people of Manbij, now run Manbij the people of Manbij are opposed to the attacks on Manbij and are conducting anti-Turkish activities to protest Turkey and its mercenaries’ entry into the city.
H/S
ANHA
