Following the action against the General Directorate of Security located in the Ministry of Internal Affairs campus on October 1, Turkey once again launched a wave of attacks against Northern and Eastern Syria. In the attacks that have been continuing since October 4, many service buildings such as schools, hospitals, dams, water, electricity and petrol stations have been targeted. Many people lost their lives in the region, which was bombed dozens of times. While the attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria continued, tensions between Israel and Palestine broke out once again, and Hamas launched an attack against Israel in the Gaza Strip on October 7. The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that 413 people, including 78 children, died and 2,300 people were injured in Israeli attacks. The Israeli press announced that at least 700 Israelis died and 2,150 people were injured in the attacks.

 

Middle East expert Hamide Rencüs evaluated Turkey's attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria and the war between Israel and Palestine.

 

Stating that Turkey's attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria have become a tradition for years, Rencüs said: "Whenever there is a 'terrorist' attack in Turkey, a frenzy of attacks begins, saying 'it came from Syria'. When the bomb attack happened in Taksim on November 13, 2022, the government targeted Northern and Eastern Syria by making statements such as 'We were attacked by Afrin.' After the security meeting held after the Ankara attack, an attack on Rojava was launched with the promise of 'We will eradicate terrorism'. Underground and surface riches were targeted in the attacks; Oil, electricity and energy resources were targeted. The attacks continue, two days ago, civilian settlements and workers working in the fields were also targeted, and many people lost their lives."

 

THE MESSAGE OF USA TO ROJAVA

 

Emphasizing that Turkey's attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria are within the permission of the USA, Rencü said: 'The USA still turns a blind eye to this situation. The threat of attack has not ended. After the drone was dropped on Turkey, the USA's statement that 'we shot it down because we perceived it as a threat' was actually a warning that they were on Turkey's side, but at the same time, it should put a limit on operations."

 

WHAT IS THE TARGET IN THE REGION?

 

Stating that Turkey's attacks on Northern and Eastern Syria and the drone attack on the graduation ceremony of a military academy in Homs, Syria, are related, Rencü said: "Both attacks were a 'redesign' project. First of all, the rapprochement between Russia and Turkey was something that the USA wanted to some extent. However, Turkey's maintaining its neutrality in the Russian and Ukrainian war and maintaining its relations with Russia and getting closer to it did not suit the USA. By allowing Turkey to attack Kurdish forces, the USA made concessions because Turkey needed to stay a little closer to NATO. If the USA manages to pull its alliance with Turkey a little more towards NATO, they can establish an allied relationship by limiting the SDF's sphere of influence because Turkey wants Kurds along Barzani's line to dominate the border and eliminate the influence of YPG. This seems unlikely at this stage because there is a formation there that relies on its own strength and includes not only Kurdish fighters but also all local dynamics."

 

ISRAEL-PALESTINE WAR

 

Evaluating the images that emerged during the Israel-Palestine war, Rencüs said: "When the Syrian war started, no one spoke out against the brutal images and some said 'this is a revolutionary siege'. When images of the brutality of ISIS militants were presented, everyone said, 'There is no revolution there, there is brutality.' Even at that time, some groups claimed that these brutal events did not represent the Syrian revolution. No, this radical barbarism was exactly the Syrian revolution itself. And from the beginning its predecessor character was not seen. Now I will not draw a similarity to the Gaza attack. ISIS is what Hamas is in Gaza; Hamas is what ISIS is because ideologically, we know the practices of the IHVA ideology in Syria, this cannot be denied. Nothing justifies what Hamas did on the bodies of children and women, or such brutality on the bodies of innocent civilians."

 

MA / Esra Solin Dal