ISTANBUL - Drawing attention to the attack launched by Turkey-backed jihadist groups in Syria, HDK General Assembly member Esengül Demir said: "We can say very clearly that the attacks are directed against the peoples of the region as a whole."
The conflicts between Hamas-Israel and Israel Lebanon triggered the resumption of the clashes in Syria, which had been suspended. The jihadist group known as the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, which changed its name from al-Nusra to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in 2017, and Turkey-backed paramilitary groups launched an attack on Aleppo on 26 November. After taking Aleppo from the regime forces, Turkey-backed jihadist groups headed towards Hama and Homs. Kurds who moved to Tel Rıfat during Turkey's attack on afrin and Kurds in Aleppo's Şêx Mexsut neighbourhood are under threat from Turkey-backed groups. The Syrian Democratik Forces (QSD) are also continuing theri preparations against the risks of conflict in the region.
Evaluating the impact of the clashes on the peoples in the region, Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) General Assembly member Esengül Demir stated that with the attacks, Israel aims to reduce the influence of Iran and Russia in the Middle East and to open a space for itself in the region. Stating that the attacks cannot be explained as a situation in which jihadist organisations reorganised and attacked, Esengül Demir said: "Especially with the Aleppo attack, it may have been thought to weaken the power of the Syrian regime and break its influence in that area."
USA - TURKEY
Esengül Demir stated that the attack should not be considered only as weakening the power of the Syrian regime and pointed out that the attacks on Aleppo took place immediately after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Esengül Demir reminded that the groups that carried out the attacks had meetings with the US intelligence unit and stated that it is possible to say that the groups were supported by the US. "Therefore, it is possible to read these attacks as a move towards the US and Israel's shaping of Middle East politics," she said.
Esengül Demir stated that Turkey also intervened in the attack and said that Turkey supports these jihaidst groups, feeds them and provides them with all kinds of support. Esengül Demir emphasised that Turkey aims to reach the borders of Mİsak-ı Milli (National Pact) and does not want the Kurds to make gains in Syria, adding that Turkey wants to be an effective actor in the shaping of the Middle East.
"Taking advantage of this process, Turkey may aim to attack Kobanê through the groups under its control. Therefore, at a time when jihadist groups are active, Turkey sees this as an opportunity to encircle the Kurdish-controlled region and realise its own desires," Esengül Demir said.
THE IMPACT OF THE WAR ON TURKEY
The escalation of the war in Syria directly affects the peoples in Turkey said Esengül Demir and added: "Turkey is using a large part of its budget to create a position for itself here. Apart from the traditional Kurdish hostility and the perspective that the Kurds should not make gains, Turkey also wants to be one of the determinants of the Middle East. For the last 10 years, Turkey has been in an expansionist position especially in foreign policy, trying to create space for itself, and it still maintains this position. This approach inevitably leads to the escalation of many issues in Turkey and turns them into intractable problems. Another factor will be the disruption of Turkey's internal peace due to the jihadist structures with which Turkey has established relations. These groups come to Turkey, where they are given space and opportunities. These people will disturb the peace of the people of the region living in Turkey. These are the structures that create problems in the internal security issue. Beyond that, we are experiencing serious poverty due to the budget allocated for the war. The main reasons for the inflation we are experiencing today are due to the budget Turkey has invested in the war. Therefore, in order to continue its expansionist policies, the Turkish government is taking decisions that will disturb the chaos and internal peace in the country."
'PEOPLES NOT IN THE REGION MUST ALSO STAND AGAINST'
Esengül Demir stated that the occupation of residential areas by jihadist groups and the Syrian regime's lack of resistance against this will lead to a new jihadist propaganda and continued her words as follows: "We know the process in 2013. While the attacks of that period caused fear among the people, they also created another propaganda among those who supported them. There is such a risk again. The safest region at the moment is Rojava, but it is also open to all kinds of attacks at any moment. There is a great danger for the peoples of the region. We can say very clearly that the jihadist groups do not have an approach that protects any ethnic group, and that the attack is directed against the peoples of the region as a whole. In the past, thousands of Yazidi women and children were kidnapped by ISIS. Thousands of people lost their lives and had to migrate due to the cruelty and massacre caused by ISIS. The migration crisis that Europe is experiencing today, the main reason why it does not want to take in those migrants and closes its borders is the war they are involved in there. Therefore, the peoples who are not in the region must also stand against this."