Eye on Turkey for month January 2018

Turkey slams US verdict convicting banker in Iran sanctions case

Turkish officials have denounced a verdict handed down by a US jury that found a Turkish banker guilty of evading sanctions on Iran that were imposed by Washington.

Mehmet Hakan Atilla and eight others were accused of moving billions of dollars' worth of Iranian money through American banks, disguised as food and gold sales.

The case angered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ministers, some of whom accused US court officials of having ties to Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish, US-based religious leader blamed for the July 2016 coup attempt.........

US & Israel target Iran, Pakistan and other Muslim countries for their resources – Erdogan

 Turkey’s leader has accused the US and Israel of meddling in the affairs of Iran and Pakistan, as well as those of other Muslim countries, and are driven by the desire to grab their natural resources.

“We cannot accept that some countries — foremost the US, Israel — to interfere [sic!] in the internal affairs of Iran and Pakistan,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul on Friday, AFP reports. On Tuesday President Donald Trump tweeted support for the protests “against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime” which erupted last week.....

Macron tells Erdogan: No chance of Turkey joining EU

French President Emmanuel Macron has told his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that there is no chance of progress towards Turkey joining the European Union at present.

At a joint news conference in Paris, Mr Macron said there were differences over human rights since Turkey's purges following a failed coup in 2016.

Mr Erdogan said Turkey was tired of constantly imploring to join the EU.

He lashed out at a journalist who asked about claims Turkey sent arms to Syria.....


Syria - Erdogan (Again) Switches Sides - Delivers New Supplies For Terrorist Attacks

Turkey, in line with U.S. services, decided to block the current Syrian advance in south-east Idleb. Yesterday an ad-hoc alliance of jihadi "rebels" launched a counteroffensive to stop the Syrian army from cutting off a big chunk of "rebel" held territory in east-Idleb.


Erdogan vows to ‘drown’ US-backed Syrian Border Force before it’s born,
 labels unit ‘terrorist army'
 The Turkish president has called US-backed Syrian Border Force using Kurdish fighters a “terrorist army,” vowing to “drown” it before it’s complete. He also added that military preparations against Kurdish-held Afrin are ready.

“Our duty is to drown this terrorist force before it is born,” the Turkish leader said on Monday, as cited by AP.

The 30,000-srtrong army of “traitors” that Washington seeks to create will point their guns against US troops at the first threat, Erdogan warned....


Turkey Notifies NATO Of Imminent Massive Invasion Of Syria To Fight Kurds

Turkey is poised for an imminent massive ground invasion of Northern Syria to quash Kurdish militia groups currently holding Afrin near the Turkish border. Multiple regional outlets have reported a build-up of forces that could constitute the largest external intervening force thus far in the entirety of the Syrian war.

According to Middle East based Al-Sura News, Turkey's military build-up currently underway includes special forces troops, Army units, Turkish-backed Syrian Rebels and Turkey's air force. The Kurdish YPG/J (People's Protection Units) has held Afrin since the Syrian government withdrew from the area in 2012, which constitutes the western-most part of the self-declared Rojava autonomous Kurdish zone....


Turkish attack on Syrian Kurds marks major escalation in Middle East

Late Wednesday night, the Turkish army launched an intensive artillery attack on Syrian Kurds in Afrin, a multi-ethnic region in northwestern Syria controlled by the US-backed Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its militia, the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

This attack, announced long ago by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the words “we can come unexpectedly overnight,” currently takes the form of a massive artillery bombardment. However, Ankara’s threats show that they are preparing to launch an outright military occupation that could provoke war with Syria and a direct clash with US forces.

The initial step for a Turkish invasion of Afrin came hours after a meeting of Turkey’s National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Ankara. In a statement issued after the meeting, it warned that “Necessary steps would be taken immediately and resolutely to defeat any threat against Turkey from western Syria in the first stage.” In a comment aimed at the Kurdish groups, it added, “The establishment of a terror corridor and the formation of a terrorist army across the border will not be allowed.”...

Turkey shells Afrin as it awaits removal of Russian military observers

Turkey bombs Syrian-Kurd enclave amid reports Moscow was cutting deal with Ankara to remove observers and allow invasion...

#cdnpoli #tcot #TOpoli This is a NATO member with 2nd largest army in that gang.
"..Having Bylock on your phone or even knowing someone who did is to become an instant pariah in Turkey, resulting in isolation, shame, a lost livelihood or worse..... https://t.co/mMPXuQiHup

— MariaS Nunes (@Dodocanspell) January 22, 2018

Turkey launches operation against Kurdish militia in Syria

Turkish President Erdogan says Turkey has begun 'de-facto ground operation' in Afrin and that Manbij will be next
Turkey on Saturday launched a new air and ground operation to oust Kurdish militia from a northern Syrian enclave, defying US warnings that the action risked destabilising the area.

Turkey had in recent days sent dozens of military vehicles to the border area and readied pro-Ankara Syria rebels in preparation for the operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which Turkey deems to be a terrorist organisation.....

Turkey could widen Syria offensive after Erdogan vows to attack ‘wherever there are terrorists’

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hinted yet again that the campaign against Kurdish militia in Syria could spread beyond the north-western enclave of Afrin.

“Just as the terrorists in Jarabulus and Al-Bab weren’t able to escape elimination, the terrorists in Afrin and Manbij won’t be able to escape the bitter end awaiting them, either,” Erdogan said during a regional party congress speech in the heartland town of Corum.......

Ankara uses Afrin campaign to showcase Turkish-made weapons

 On Jan. 21, a day after Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch against Afrin in northern Syria, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim briefed media representatives about the campaign, putting special emphasis on one issue. The operation, he said, was being carried out with weapons and ammunition that were up to 75% Turkish made.

Turkey urges US to withdraw from Syria's Manbij

Turkey has called on the United States to withdraw its military personnel from northern Syria's Manbij region after announcing Ankara's plan to push Syrian Kurdish fighters from the area, according to local media....

Turkey's Afrin offensive enters second week

The United Nations is worried about civilians in Syria's northwestern region of Afrin.

The Turkish offensive in the Kurdish-held border town has entered its second week....