The Syrian crisis is entering a crucial stage that could either end in world powers agreeing that peace must be given a chance in the war-torn country – or an all-out ground invasion by foreign troops, which has been threatened by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the US.
There are grounds to believe, however, that Ankara will not tolerate any peace in Syria that brings about a defeat of the anti-government forces there.
Saudi Arabia has been deploying military jets and personnel to Turkey’s southern Incirlik Air Base. The latest move is said to be part of the US-led effort to defeat the ISIL terror group, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The base is currently being used by the US Air Force for their planes conducting sorties in Syria.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE voiced their readiness to contribute troops to a ground operation in Syria on the condition that the US would lead the intervention. The Persian Gulf states, just as the Turkish government, want Syrian President Bashar Assad to be overthrown.
Middle East experts have warned that sending Turkish and Saudi troops into Syria would bring "catastrophic” consequences, while Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev has said an intervention by foreign powers would result in "permanent” war in the region.
Turkey has already hinted that it could launch a ground invasion into Syria several times. The latest was Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu’s pledge to return a "historical debt” to Turkey’s "Aleppo brothers,” who helped defend the country in the early 20th century – just days after Russia had warned of Ankara’s intentions to invade Syria, as the rebels there falter.
The Turkish saber rattling comes as the Syrian army is successfully making gains on militant positions in the northern Aleppo Governorate and Kurds on the Syrian-Turkish border have been recapturing infrastructure from extremists, including a military airport. Both offensives are said to be supported by Russian airstrikes.
Turkey has also begun building a refugee camp on Syrian territory not far from the Turkish-Syrian border.
Speculations on the development range from Ankara planning to create a "buffer zone” inside Syria, to allegations that the Turks are creating a "human shield” to prevent the recapture of border territories. Kurds are reportedly not being let into the grounds of the refugee camp.
Source: RT