{"id":21574,"date":"2017-10-14T18:19:44","date_gmt":"2017-10-14T18:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/10\/14\/turkish-troops-move-into-al-qaida-dominated-syrian-province\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:19:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:19:48","slug":"turkish-troops-move-into-al-qaida-dominated-syrian-province","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/10\/14\/turkish-troops-move-into-al-qaida-dominated-syrian-province\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkish troops move into al-Qaida-dominated Syrian province"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BEIRUT \u2014 Turkish armored vehicles have rolled into northwestern Syria to impose a \u201cde-escalation zone\u201d in a province dominated by al-Qaida-linked militants, an incursion that the Turkish leader said was meant to secure his country\u2019s border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Turkish military said it began an operation late Thursday to set up \u201cobservation points\u201d in Idlib, without providing further details or saying how many troops were involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey\u2019s Hurriyet newspaper said around 30 armored vehicles and more than 100 commandos and special forces are taking part in the operation, with more troop movements expected in the coming days. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the deployment of nearly 16 armored vehicles, five tanks and a military force came days after Turkey sent reconnaissance missions to the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deployment appears to be focused on establishing a Turkish military presence between the northwestern Idlib province and an adjacent Kurdish enclave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turkey didn\u2019t address the details or scope of the deployment, saying only that it was working to prevent a \u201cterror\u201d corridor from forming along its border. Turkey considers Syria\u2019s main Kurdish militia a terrorist group because of its links to the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey\u2019s southeast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In what appears to be part of the agreement to facilitate the first phase of the deployment, the Observatory and fighters in the area said the Turkish vehicles were escorted by fighters from an alliance led by an al-Qaida-linked group. That suggests the main focus at this point is to deter the Kurdish forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the Turkey-backed Syrian fighters had ties with al-Qaida-linked groups and are likely keen to avoid immediate confrontation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe said we would come suddenly,\u201d said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking in Ankara Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erdogan said his country, with a 911-kilometer (566-mile) border with Syria, has to take precautions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are the ones that are under harassment and threat. No one has the right to tell us why did you do this?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rebel fighter in the area said the troops deployed from a border crossing into the Idlib province to be stationed between the Kurdish-held Afrin enclave and an area held by Syrian rebels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Kurdish militiaman confirmed the deployment of Turkish troops, saying they were stationed in three separate points along a \u201cfront\u201d between Afrin and Idlib. He said the deployment was \u201cnot wide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both the rebel fighter and the Observatory said the Levant Liberation Committee, an insurgent coalition allied with al-Qaida, escorted the Turkish troops. The fighter and the Kurdish militia member spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren\u2019t authorized to talk to the press.<\/p>\n\n\n\t