Manbij .. Point balance of regional , international powers

JUNA MOHAMMED/MANBIJ

 In 2015 and 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and some of his government officials warned the People's and Women's Protection Units(YPG and YPJ)  and then the Syrian Democratic Forces(SDF) after its formation to across the Euphrates river and reach its western side. That warning was a message in which Turkish leaders expressed their rejection of the aforementioned forces' intention to liberate Manbij city and Jrablos, which located west of the Euphrates river.

Erdogan said in a statement on November 11, 2015 after participating in the G20 summit that Turkey would prevent "any party" crossing the Euphrates river to the west, and claimed that his country will respond to any such attempt.

At that time, IS was still controlling the region, and its control was not normal, so the statements of the Turkish leaders also carried in their content the orientations of Turkish politics. Because Turkey did not want to end IS, because IS was the reason of the outbreak of terrorism and brutality in the region, Turkey was its main supporter.

The areas of western Euphrates, especially Manbij, were the most important centers for IS. Manbij was the capital of foreign mercenaries, where the arrivals from Europe via Turkey were gathered and distributed to the regions of Syria and Iraq to carry out their terrorist operations and to launch terrorist operations in Europe.

On January 11, 2016, the British Telegraph Newspaper published an article titled "Manbij Miniature London ", in view of the large number of Britons affiliated with the ranks of IS, in addition to a large proportion of Germans, French, Saudis and Algerians. Manbij formed a transit point for them to and from Europe.

The status of Manbij geopolitical is not new, because Manbij has always been an important location for all the forces that control the region, in the past it was a point of linking the west of Syria to its east, and that is why Najem castle that was guarding this road built, Ancient al-Harir road goes along it with similar importance in the Ottoman era to the present day.

Turkish policy was not opposed to the direction of the forces that fought IS in Syria to areas of western Euphrates only, but later refused to go al-Raqqa, a city declared by IS capital of its alleged successor, and this is evidenced by the efforts of Turkey to keep IS in the region for the purposes related to Turkey which is supporter for such groups.

IS has always been a card in the hands of Turkey, which used it to fight the people of the northern regions of Syria. In addition, Turkey used IS as an excuse to launch aggression against Syria within the framework of the so-called "Euphrates Shield" which occupied territory from northern Syria

However, with the support of Syria's Democratic Forces, the people of this region began a military campaign to liberate them from IS on June 1, 2016 and ended on August 12 of the same year by liberating them. Since then, reality has been changing in this city until it has become a point of balance for forces in the Middle East.

Manbij, which is now politically managed by its sons and protected by its soldiers militarily, is under the danger of Turkish threats .

Turkey wants Manbij, but all areas of northern Syria as Ottoman areas under Turkish control as it was more than a hundred years ago. All these and other things are proof that Turkey is an occupying state and nothing else.

This comes while many accuse Turkey of using "opponents of the regime" in the regions of Aleppo and Damascus and Daraa to swap them in areas in the north of Syria, like Idlib and Jrablos, which was exchanged in Aleppo, and Afrin, which was exchanged al-Gouta in an effort to establish a Turkish occupation zone paving the way for the realization of the Ottoman dream.

Turkey has stood on its northern border, while the forces of the Manbij Military Council are stationed alongside US forces. To the west and south, the regime and the groups supporting it are turning into a key and a deterrent point for a war that may develop into regional and global countries..

Now, while the liberation of Manbij was a fatal blow to the war and a major defeat for the terrorism that is nearing completion in Syria, it is possible that the current administrative model inside Manbij will serve as a model for the entire Syrian territory through which the people of the land run their areas and protect them.

It is now one of the most stable and secure areas thanks to the efforts of its military personnel stationed on the fronts. It is also an advanced model of freedom, democracy and political management thanks to the participation of all components and segments of society in the administration of the city.

A.H

ANHA