People armed against Turkey/ Iran in Western Aleppo

[Anthea]

Turkish state evacuates villages in Shehba and Efrîn for invasion

In line with the Turkish state’s invasion policies, Kurdish villages on the Shehba and Efrîn border line and Marea on the Til Rifat line are being evacuated in preparation for the declaration of a military zone.

The Turkish state continues to stockpile weapons and forces in Azaz, Rai, Exterîn and Marea to invade Efrîn and Shehba and they are trying to open up new areas for stockpiling. The Turkish state had already built extensions on their existing outposts in the area, and now they have declared some villages “military zones”.

KURDISH VILLAGES EVACUATED

The villagers have been given time to evacuate the villages in Azaz, Exterîn, Rai and Shehba. The Kurdish villages are ones with borders to Jaysh Al Suwar and YPG forces in Shehba. The villages forced to be evacuated in one day are: Ğuz, Tweys, Qubbesin, Eble, Tel Tana, Teletin, Şudud and Baruze.

The villagers are told that the villages have been declared military zones for the attacks on Shehba, and that they need to evacuate the area so more stockpiling can be done.

VILLAGER: “WORSE THAN ISIS”

A villager from Shudud who wishes to remain anonymous stated that the Turkish state is no different from ISIS and continued:

“Turkmen groups who are gangs allied with Turkey took over our village for some time. It was just the beginning of the revolution back then. Some groups were not fully under Turkey’s control. They were actual Turkmens, so they didn’t pressure us too much. Then Al Nusra and ISIS took over our village. They were oppressive towards us. They confiscated part of our property. But the Turkish state told us ‘You have no business here, you don’t belong here, go wherever you will.’ What the Turkish state and the army did to us, even ISIS didn’t do.”

VILLAGES EVACUATED BY TURKISH ARMY COMMANDERS

Turkey is trying to hide from the international community their plans of attack and invasion along with their allied groups, but the stockpiling they have done in the area proves what they are doing with their army forces. Meanwhile, though they try to show that the so-called FSA groups are doing the evacuations, the villagers say it is the Turkish army officials that command the evacuation of villages.

A villager from Tweys who wishes to remain anonymous said the following:

“The Turkish state is trying to make it look like it is the FSA everywhere and that they are doing these things. We know the groups called the FSA very well. We know who is in these groups. The groups Turkey tries to push as the FSA now have almost zero Syrians in them. And the actual Syrians who are there are individuals working for the Turkish intelligence MİT. I know all of them very well. They were intelligence agents for the Baath regime in the past, and now they work for the Turkish MİT. Those who demand we evacuate our villages, the people who actually speak with us on this issue, were the officers of the Turkish army. They didn’t speak any language other than Turkish.”

“ARE THE INTERNATIONAL POWERS ASLEEP?”

The villager from Tweys stressed that entering a country’s territory with your army and commanders demanding the evacuation of villages are scandalous and criminal according to international law, that it is an invasion, and continued:

“This is our country, our land. No force can remove us from here. In the beginning the US, Russia and many other countries talked of the territorial integrity and the unity of Syria. But now, the Turkish state’s army has entered our territory, they have invaded our lands, and are pushing us out of our villages and our homes. No peep from any of these powers. We as Syrian citizens see this as an invasion. Are the powers who are silent in the face of this invasion asleep? If they are not sleeping, they are complicit in this invasion. We as the Syrian citizens want them to know that we see this, and we know. When the day comes, we want them to know that we will be suing them as well according to international law.”

PEOPLE OF MAREA THREATENED TO “BE READY”

As the Turkish army wants to declare Kurdish villages military zones and evacuate them, the people of Marea were asked to be prepared. The people were told to evacuate Marea in two hours when the attack on Shehba starts, and that they would be informed of it two hours before.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST STOP TURKEY'S ABUSE OF KURDS

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Karayılan: An attack on Efrîn will be the end of AKP-MHP

PKK Executive Committee Member Murat Karayılan: “A possible attack by the Turkish state on Efrîn will be the beginning of the end for AKP-MHP.”



Karayılan spoke to the Dengê Kurdistan Radio and commented on the Turkish state’s invasion plans for Rojava and Northern Syria.

PKK Executive Committee Member Murat Karayılan’s comments on the Dengê Kurdistan Radio on the matter are as follows:

Especially in these last couple of days, there are news that the AKP state will attack Efrîn and Shehba. What will you say about this, could there be a war in Efrîn and Shehba in the near future?

Yes, there have been some news on this matter and the press is stressing the issue a lot. The Turkish state has failed in their policies regarding Syria, the Middle East and Rojava Kurdistan. If Turkey lays a hand on Efrîn, it will mean that Russia, Iran and the Syrian state approve of that move. Otherwise it won’t be possible. Our people should be aware that the Turkish state will carry out such an attack with approval from these states. Russia in particular plays a fundamental role in this issue. Turkey was able to enter Jarablus and Bab on Russia’s permission, and the permission by the international coalition. So, this is a matter between states. The Turkish state makes concessions, and wants to create a path for itself by sacrificing Turkey. They thus hope to gain traction in some parts of Syria. In this framework, there are some diplomatic efforts, and they have indeed gathered some forces in the military sense.

But let’s make one thing clear: When ISIS attacked Kobanê, we said “Kobanê will be Stalingrad and ISIS’ attack on Kobanê will be the beginning of the end for them.” It has been 3 years since. These words have been proven right. Kobanê did become Stalingrad, even surpassed it. And Kobanê became the beginning of the end for ISIS. Today, the capital of ISIS is in the process of falling.

Now we say the same thing. If the Turkish state attacks Efrîn, that will signal the beginning of the end for the AKP-MHP regime. Because the people of Efrîn will resist, and there will be a great war there. And in that war, the righteous people of Kurdistan will prevail. That is why it is not that easy to enter Efrîn.

There already is a war, the Turkish state is engaged in attacks every day with artilleries and mortars from Jindires to Shehba. They have some calculations over Shehba. And that is an area in Efrîn. These lands are home to mostly Kurds, and then Arabs and Turkmens. It is apparent that they have some calculations over Shehba. They are planning to invade the Shehba region from Til Rifat to Minixe. It is possible that they will attack there. But they can’t attack the whole of Efrîn that easily. That is a difficult thing to do for them. That will turn into their Kobanê. But it is possible that they will attack from the Shehba side. Of course, there are the Jaysh Al-Thuwar forces there. There are Arabs, Turkmens, Kurds and the YPG/YPJ there. So the war there would be intense. But could they do it, or not? Nobody is defenseless in the face of the Turkish state anymore. It’s no longer like they can just enter whenever they want and invade the area. That will come to a tough war.

And, that war won’t be limited to Shehba either. The Turkish state invading yet another Kurdish land could turn into a new Kurdish-Turkish war. In that sense, that would signify a new situation. The Kurds are strong now. The Rojava Revolution is a great force today. The YPG is achieving in Raqqa what great armies have failed to do. If the Turkish army comes, it is clear that there will be a tough resistance in front of them. That is what we think and that is what we believe. The people of Efrîn in particular are very patriotic and they resist well. We know our people there very well. They should be prepared for anything that could happen. But they should also know that entering Efrîn won’t be that easy. Still, as a possibility, one needs to be prepared for all things.

And one more thing, this is not a completed process, it is still developing. It is like the World War III, and it will continue. Such an intervention by the Turkish state will fan the flames of the war. And, Turks are settling in Syria day by day. This will create more chaos in Syria. The Turkish state fighting in the Shehba region is an attack on the will of the peoples of Syria. We believe the Syrian people will take a stand against this. The Turkish state is carrying out an ethnic genocide in the Jarablus line. They have pushed the Arabs aside as well, and they are distributing Kurdish lands to their allies. The Turkish state is in a very bad role here. They are toying with the demographic makeup of the region. This is a crime. If the Turkish state spreads itself to do the same in other places, there will be a strong resistance and retaliation against that.

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KCK’s Avesta: The attacks on Efrîn will be the end of Erdoğan

KCK's Sozdar Avesta stated that YJŞ participating in the Raqqa operation is a historic step in itself. Avesta said, “If the Turkish state enters Efrîn, they won’t be able to leave” and added that the invasion attacks will bring about the end of Erdoğan.

KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) General Presidential Council Member Sozdar Avesta spoke to Çıra TV about the situation in Efrîn, Shengal Women’s Units (YJŞ) decision to join in the Great Battle operation and the national congress efforts by the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK).

“IT WILL BE THE END OF ERDOĞAN”

“The atrocities Erdoğan and Bahçeli commit against the Kurdish people continue, particularly against the people of Efrîn. Efrîn is a rich province, especially in terms of nature. That is why they fire artilleries and start fires. But now they also want to attack with ground troops,” said Avesta and added that Erdoğan will be crushed under the weight of the Shehba attack and it will bring about the en of Erdoğan.

Avesta said, “If the Turkish state enters Efrîn they won’t be able to get out,” and continued:

“Everybody knows they don’t want Raqqa liberated. Like our patriotic people came together around Kobanê when the city was attacked, we should once again gather into a circle around Efrîn now. The operation to liberate Raqqa is about to be completed. Nobody can stop that now, with the start of the Great Battle.

"YJŞ’S PARTICIPATION IS AN IMPORTANT STEP"

ISIS built a headquarters for themselves to subdue women and destroy the free women’s will, and that is the Shengal region in Iraq. They took the Êzidî women there to Mosul. They tied their hands and feet and chained them to trucks, to be sold in markets. This was also in the media. They violently murdered 19 women who didn’t bow down to them. The same thing happened in Raqqa. Nobody could object because Raqqa was under their control. Thousands of women are trapped in their homes in Raqqa. Nobody knows exactly how many there are. For these reasons, the Raqqa operation is truly symbolic. YJŞ’s decision to participate is also a great and important step. The Êzidî people deserved more than anybody else to participate in this operation. So I consider the operation a great step.

The Êzidî people have come to realize that unless they build their autonomy, they will always be facing new genocides. They know very well that whatever state they lean on will not protect them. When we look at the paradigm of Leader Apo and our Movement since the beginning, we always see the third way as prominent, to build yourself as a force by using your own strength.”

“THE GENOCIDE AND THE AUTONOMY NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED”

Avesta pointed out that appeals have been submitted to the UN, the US and Canada to have the massacres the Êzidî people suffered as genocide and added: “When there is a single decision on the autonomy of Shengal, thousands of enemies an circles start working against the recognition of the autonomy and the genocide. For that they have surrounded the people and divided them. For the last 3 years, they have turned Shengal into a dungeon.”

NATIONAL CONGRESS

KCK General Presidential Council Member Sozdar Avesta also mentioned the discussions on the referendum in Southern Kurdistan and the national congress efforts launched on June 12 and continued:

“There are great problems in the south, and there is a dictatorship in the North. They disbanded democratic politics. They have left the Kurdish people to suffocate in every way conceivable. There will be an important workshop on July 15-16 where people will vote for national unity and determine finer points to work on. So all forces should try to lead this. For us, there are zero issues, the national congress is the will of the Kurdish people.”

[Anthea]

People of Efrîn vow to defend their lands against Turkish attacks

The people of Efrîn have risen up against the military attacks of the Turkish state.

Against the Turkish state, which has taken position to invade Rojava's Efrîn canton, the people living in Efrîn city have risen up vowing to defend their canton with their blood and resist until the end.

The Turkish state which has already occupied Rojava lands from Jarablus until Azaz under the the name of "Euphrates Shields"", is getting in these last few days into position to invade Efrîn and has already started to shell from the Azaz border the YPG and YPJ units which are protecting the canton Efrîn and the civilians. One mother and two of her children have been killed in those attacks.

Tens of thousands of civilians have taken to the streets in Efrîn today and started a mass march, vowing to defend their canton against all invasions and attacks, mount great resistance and never abandon their land to the invading Turkish state and its gangs.

The people have flooded from the villages and towns to Efrîn city center and tens thousand have gathered for the historic demonstration. All civil and military organisations of the canton participate at in the march, changing slogangs greeting Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the YPG, YPJ and SDF forces fighting in the battle field.

[Anthea]

Thousands of Kurds protest against Turkish attacks on Afrin town
Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg



Thousands of Kurdish citizens took to the street in Afrin district in Syria’s northwestern Aleppo province on Wednesday, protesting the Turkish offensive against the area.

Nawaf Xelil, a Kurdish analyst and former official from the Democratic Union Party (PYD), told ARA News that more than 100,000 people in Afrin (Efrîn in Kurdish) protested against the Turkish plans to attack Afrin.

On Wednesday, a protest was launched against the Turkish plans to attack Afrin, with slogans in Arabic and Kurdish, ‘No, to the Turkish occupation of Efrin’, ‘Efrin will become a cemetery for the mercenaries of Erdogan and his aides’.

The Kurdish city of Efrîn hosts thousands of displaced people and has become a safe haven for many civilians fleeing violence in other parts of Syria.

Until now, 3 Kurdish civilians were killed and 7 injured by Turkish artillery shelling this week.

Sipan Hemo, the general commander of the People’s Protection Units (YPG), said the Kurdish YPG fighters are ready to resist the Turkish troops if Turkey would launch operation Euphrates Sword in Afrin.

“We will fight with all our capabilities, and it will be the first encounter for us to face the Turks directly. They are aggressors on our land, and enter land that is not theirs,” he told Asharq al-Awsat.

“We are in full readiness to thwart the plans of the Turkish occupation and force them to withdraw from every inch of Syrian lands,” he said.

http://aranews.net/2017/07/thousands-of ... frin-town/

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Kurdish official: Turkey attacks Afrin to regain influence in Syria
Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg

A senior Kurdish official said on Wednesday that Turkey wants to attack the Kurdish district of Afrin (Efrîn) northwest of Aleppo, “fearing it has no longer a role in Syria.”

“After the anti-ISIS Euphrates Wrath campaign had begun, the Turkish state got convinced that it no longer has a role in Syria, and this became clear by their diplomatic relations decline and foreign relations failure,” said Aldar Xelil, the Kurdish leader of TEV-DEM movement.

“By launching attacks [against Rojava’s Afrin], the Turkish state attempts to restore its role in Syria and interfere in the Syrian interior affairs,” he said in an interview with the local ANHA agency.

Moreover, the official said Turkey is trying to put pressure on the US-led coalition to become a partner in al-Raqqa liberation campaign “and to obstruct the achievements of the Rojava-Northern Syria administration and the project of democratic federalism.”

“Today, after the successive defeats of ISIS mercenaries, Turkey attempts to form other gangs to hit any democratic project that would be formed in Syria,” he said.

Xelil also said that Turkey attempts to preserve its existence and role in Syria’s peace talks in Geneva. “But the developments that the area is witnessing indicate that Turkey has no longer any role or effect on Syria.”

:Moreover, it is expected that Geneva’s map would be changed,” he said, after U.N. envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura told RIA news agency on Tuesday that the Syria’s Kurds should not be ignored, and their representatives must be allowed to take part in drafting the country’s new constitution.

The senior Kurdish official says any attack on Kurdish positions in Afrin or Northern Aleppo will be repelled. “Our people’s power and will would foil all the Turkish plans, and the historic demonstration that Afrin witnessed is a proof that the people with all components would repel any aggression by Turkey.”

http://aranews.net/2017/07/kurdish-offi ... -in-syria/

[Anthea]

Turkish army shells villages of Efrîn

Turkish troops deployed in Kilis are conducting artillery attacks on Efrîn city and the villages of Qestel Cindo and Qetma in its Shera district, reported a news agency based in Rojava.

The ongoing bombardment has reportedly caused injuries among civilians and started fire in the fields of the residents.

The invading Turkish army continued its military build-up at Efrîn border last night.

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YPG statement on Turkey’s attack on Efrîn:

YPG Press Center issued a written statement on the invading Turkish army’s and their gangs’ attacks on Efrîn. YPG stated that two civilians were injured in the attack yesterday.

YPG Press Center announced the balance of the week’s attacks by the Turkish army on the Efrîn Canton.

The YPG statement is as follows:

“Gangs acting under the Turkish army’s command continue to attack Rojava. The Turkish army and their gangs have increased their attacks on Efrîn. Attacks by the Turkish army and their allied gangs have also resulted in injury for 2 civilians, while many citizens had their homes and property damaged. The Turkish army and their allied gangs continue aerial activity over Efrîn still.

The balance sheet of the attacks in the last 7 days by the Turkish army and their allied gangs is as follows:

On July 9, 2017 gangs allied to the Turkish state attacked the Bircikê Silêman and Basufanê villages in the Sherawa district of the Efrîn Canton and the Barîn Hill with mortars. On the same day at 23:00 at night, the Turkish army and their gangs attacked the Maranez and Vîla Qadî villages in Shera, Efrîn with mortars, tank cannons and DHSK guns. Our forces retaliated immediately with Howitzers but no concrete information could be obtained regarding the enemy’s casualties. On the same day, the gangs bombed the Elqamiyê Village with UAVs and attacked the Zîn Valley and Barîn Hill in Cindirês, Efrîn with DHSK guns.

On July 10, 2017 gangs allied with the Turkish state attacked the Martyr Shîlan Hill in Sherawa, Efrîn with DHSK guns. There were also attacks on the Basufanê village in Sherawa, Efrîn with mortars and DHSK guns. On the same day, UAVs carried out scout missions over Bêlûniyê, Eyn Deqnê, Minix and Maranez villages in Shera, Efrîn and later on attacked the same areas with DHSKs. Our forces hit the gangs attempting to construct new positions in the Barîn and Baz hills with DHSKs and BKCs but no concrete information could be obtained regarding the gangs’ casualties.

On July 11, 2017 gangs attacked the Basufanê village in Sherawa, Efrîn with mortars and DHSK guns. Our forces retaliated this attack immediately with mortars.

On July 12, 2017 gangs allied to the Turkish state attacked the Basufanê village with DHSK guns. Our forces retaliated the attacks on the Martyr Şilan Hill in Cindirês, Efrîn and one gang member was killed.

On July 14, 2017 at around 01.00, gangs Eallied to the Turkish army attacked Baz, İska and Barîn Hills in Cindirês, Efrîn and Basufanê village in Sherawa, Efrîn with mortars, and Başemrê and Basufanê villages and Iska and Martyr Şilan Hills with DHSK guns. Our forces retaliated immediately. At 17.00 the Turkish army and their allied gangs attacked Qestel Hill and Maranez Eyn Deqnê, Vîla Qadî and Bêlûniyê villages with Howitzers. On the same day, at midnight, UAVs flew over Qestel, Qitmê and Efrîn. Also on the same day, the Turkish army and their gangs attacked the Qestel hill in Shera, Efrîn with Katyusha missiles and Iska Hill in Cindirês, Efrîn with mortars.

On July 15, 2017 at 14.00 the Turkish army and their allied gangs attacked Til Tewîl, Cûmkê, Stêr and Qitmê villages to the north of Efrîn. These attacks left 2 civilians wounded, one of them heavily. On the same day at 16.00, Şêwarxa village in Shera, Efrîn was attacked with Howitzers and Barîn hill in Cindirês, Efrin with mortars. From 15.00 onwards, Turkish army’s UAVs carried out scout missions over the Eyn Deqnê territory. Our forces retaliated the gangs’ attacks immediately, and hit the gang positions near the Başemrê village in Sherawa, Efrîn at 10.00, but no concrete information could be obtained regarding the gangs’ casualties.”

[Anthea]

Kurdish forces foil Turkey-led attack north of Aleppo
Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg

Kurdish fighters of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) on Monday foiled an attack by Turkey-backed rebel groups in Syria’s northwestern Aleppo province, local sources reported.

The Turkish Army and allied militias of the Ahlal al-Diyar targeted Kurdish positions in Ein Dakneh area in Northern Aleppo.

At least 20 pro-Turkey fighters were reportedly killed in clashes with the YPG.

Factions of there Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) supported the YPG in repelling the Turkey-led offensive.

A Kurdish activist from Afrin in northern Aleppo told ARA News the Turkey-led forces stopped their attack after 20 of them were killed.

“The Turkish army supported them by shelling the area,” he said.

Furthermore, the local ANHA agency reported that one of the pro-Turkey fighters was captured, and dozens were wounded on Monday.

The Turkish shelling targeted the villages of Herbal, Sheikh Issa, Tal Raf’at.

In the meantime, the Turkish-backed rebels said they captured one fighter of the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

“We should expect more of this,” Aaron Stein, a senior resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, told ARA News.

“This front line is certain to remain tense. It’s notable that Turkey didn’t participate on the ground, only with artillery — and history tells us that this won’t be enough to allow for these groups to advance,” he said.

http://aranews.net/2017/07/kurdish-forc ... of-aleppo/

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Turkish army targets villagers’ homes in Metina

The Turkish army has targeted civilians’ homes in the Bedehê village in the Metina zone of Başurê Kurdistan. The villagers said: “Despite all this cruelty, the Turkish state should know that we will never leave our villages.”

The Turkish army attacks areas with a civilian population in Kurdistan and wants to force villagers out by firing mortars into various villages. One of these villages is the Bedehê village in the Metina zone. The village is shot at from the Deştanê Outpost in Çelê, causing damages to villagers. Bedehê residents who don’t want to evacuate their village spoke to the press.

“WE WILL NOT EVACUATE OUR VILLAGE”

Mam Tahir has been living in the Bedehê village for years, and said the following:

“The Turkish state has been attacking the places we live and our villages. The people who live here are barely getting by as it is, and the mortars the Turkish army fires tear down our homes and cause us damage. When will this injustice end? It has come to such a point that we can’t take our animals up to the mountains to graze. Despite all their cruelty, the Turkish state should know that we will not abandon our village and leave.”

Tahir said there is no peace left in the village because of the Turkish state’s attacks and continued: “Many families have stopped coming to the village because of the attacks. People can’t live in their newly built homes. There are families who are really struggling to get by, but the Turkish state is leaving these families with no options. Our children can’t stay indoors because they are afraid. The mortars frighten our children and our families.”

“WE ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM OUR OTHER KURDISH BRETHREN”

Another village resident, Mam Salih, said that the house that had been hit most recently was unoccupied by chance, and continued: “The mortar that hit the house caused a lot of damage, but the family wasn’t inside by chance. If they had come back just one day before, none of them would have survived.

What gives them the right to brutally attack the lands we live on? They claim to ‘hit the PKK’, but they target the civilians living in villages. We are no different from our other Kurdish brethren. What has been done to them has been done to us.”

[Anthea]

People take up arms against Turkey and Iran in Western Aleppo

Turkey has started preparing attack and invasion plans on Efrîn and Shehba from the areas they invaded and built outposts in.



The triple guaranteership Turkey, Russia and Iran set up last year has exposed the turbulence that occurred with the US-Russia deal as new information comes in from Aleppo and its surroundings. Meanwhile, residents of several villages to the west of Aleppo have been clashing with Nusra (i.e. HTŞ) gangs for three days with Turkey orchestrating attacks.

VILLAGERS: “WE WILL NOT ALLOW INVADERS”

With Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syrian Baath regime coming to an agreement, Turkish soldiers made a deal with the HTŞ (Jabhat Al Nusra) and settled first in Idlib, then in the Kabal Sheikh Barakat, Samaan Citadel and Dar Ta Izzat to the north of Aleppo and Atme and Selwa villages in Idlib to the west, making preparations for an attack on Efrîn and Shehba. Turkey built outposts in these areas they invaded and made plans for the invasion and attacks on Efrîn and Shehba, but they realized they couldn’t invade Efrîn and Shehba with the villages, towns and areas they settled their forces and gangs in. They also wanted to settle in the Kaftan Jabal, Ayn Jara, Al-Atarib and Kafr Naya villages to the west of Aleppo and east of Idlib to expand the areas they planned to invade.

Sources say villagers from Ayn Jara, Kaftan Jabal, Al-Atarib and Kafr Naya objected to Turkey settling in and said, “We don’t want invaders in our villages and lands, we will not let Turkey and Iran invading our lands.” As Turkish army forces pushed to enter the villages, the villagers took up arms and later on announced that they will be fighting against invading forces under the name of the Popular Movement.

Sources say the villagers’ decision was also influenced by their objection to the attacks on Efrîn.

TURKEY LET HTŞ LOOSE ON THEM

As a response to the villagers objecting and saying they won’t allow an invasion of their villags, then taking up arms under the name the Popular Movement, Turkey let HTŞ (Jabhat Al Nusra) loose on these villages 3 days ago. Since then, the armed villagers from Ayn Jara, Kaftan Jabal, Al-Atarib and Kafr Naya and various other villages who call themselves the Popular Movement have been in clashes. HTŞ gangs want to invade villages to open the area for Turkish army forces, and the villagers in the Popular Movement defend their lands.

TURKISH STATE COULDN’T RISK IT

Sources say the Turkish state can’t risk pushing in on these villages like they entered Jarablus, Bab and most recently Idlib in agreement with Nusra, and the reason is given as follows: People fighting HTŞ (i.e. Nusra) in these villages are not acting in the name of any given group, they are villagers who have taken up arms to fight. So an attack by the Turkish state will be an attack on civilians and villagers, thus they don’t want to engage their own army forces but set HTŞ and other gangs allied to them in the area on attacks.

NUREDDİN ZENGİ IN THE MIDDLE

The villages in question are where the Nureddin Zengi gangs (who have engaged in all kinds of cooperation with Turkey) are based. Sheikh Teyfik Shahabettin (responsible for the Nureddin Zengi group) is from Kaftan Jabal himself. The Nureddin Zengi group acted together with Turkey in Jarablus, Bab and most recently Idlib, but are reported to have remained neutral in the clashes between armed villagers and HTŞ (i.e. Nusra) gangs in the villages in question for the last three days. There are other reports that claim they are helping the armed villagers gathered under the name the Popular Movement. The more plausible version seems to be that the Nureddin Zengi group has remained neutral, as villagers say they will push them out of the region as well if the Nureddin Zengi group would stand with HTŞ and Turkey and attack the villages. The group and their leader Sheikh Tevfik understand this danger, and seem to be remaining neutral because of it.

TURKEY’S PLANS FOR INVASION TANKED

With this development in the western villages of Aleppo, Turkey’s invasion plans against Efrîn and Shehba have suffered a great hit. But the damage is not limited to their plans on Efrîn and Shehba, the invaded areas and plans for further invasion in Idlib have also come under threat. This process opens the way to another process that could reach Jarablus, Bab and villages invaded by Turkey around Shehba. Arabs, Turkmens, other peoples and clans in Northern Syria had issued statements and protested Turkey’s invasions before, but an objection in the form of residents of several villages directly taking up arms and fighting is a first. This signals the possibility of similar armaments in other areas invaded by Turkey in the future.

Simultaneously to these developments, signs that Turkey, Iran and Russia’s triple guaranteer system and the Astana talks are reaching an end become clearer in reciprocal statements. Aside from these political and diplomatic developments, there is a new development on the field: The deal between the HTŞ and the Syrian Baath regime.

The same reliable source claims that a committee including representatives from the Syrian Baath regime, Iran and Russia met with HTŞ gang leaders with Turkey’s mediation and the Idlib-Aleppo road has been opened as part of a deal made in this meeting. The Idlib Aleppo road is known to be under HTŞ control in Hama for a long time. The deal reportedly includes the opening of this road for traffic under the HTŞ gangs’ supervision.