If we’re confused by Turkey’s conduct in Syria, it’s because it is confusing. Two weeks ago, they were bombing Syrian targets; today they’re allied with Syria’s chief ally Russia in joint patrols on the M4, a key highway in northern Syria. The M4 which runs through northern Syria from the Mediterranean to the Iraq border has long been a war zone. Some sections of it are under Syrian regime control, other sections are under rebel control. It’s important to Turkey as a way to control the Turkey-Syria border–not just against the movement of refugees fleeing scorched earth bombing but to manage the smuggling of arms, drugs, goods, & the movement of militia groups. Since October 2019, Turkish forces used it to facilitate access to the semi-autonomous region of Rojava in their siege against the Kurds. US forces used it to move caravans of flat bed trucks with equipment from a US base dismantled to facilitate the movement of Turkish troops against Rojava & allow the incursion of Russian & Syrian troops. That should answer which side the US is on in Syria. It should also answer which side Turkey is on.
Russian officials issued a statement that ‘the patrol route on M4 was shortened when jihadi rebels used women & children to block the way’. Actually, Syrian opposition activists are protesting & blocking the highway to prevent the movement of Russian troops & materiel used against the Syrian Arab Spring. Given that they are surrounded by Syrian, Iranian, & Russian troops & besieged by Syrian & Russian bombers, it is extremely courageous for Syrian partisans of the revolution to block the M4. Our fullest solidarity with them.
Demand the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all foreign military forces & mercenaries from Syria.