Turkey has continued its heavy artillery and air bombardment of the city of Afrin and civilian settlements throughout the Afrin canton. Turkish armed forces have targeted schools, bakeries, water treatment plants, residential areas and farms causing great destruction. Its invasion has caused over 630 civilian casualties. Besides this, Kurdish authorities in Afrin canton are calling upon the international community to investigate Turkey's use of chemical weapons such as chlorine gas against civilians and YPG soldiers.
The Turkish armed forces (TAF) have captured over a dozen towns and villages and appear to have taken control of most of the border between Afrin canton and Turkey.
Source: SouthFront.org
As the TAF makes further inroads into Afrin a second wave of soldiers from the pro-Assad National Defence Forces have arrived to fight alongside Kurdish troops. The numbers of NDF soldiers is still quite small but highly symbolic. It remains to be seen if Turkey will back off from an open military conflict with Syrian troops.
In a statement made today Turkey's presidential spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, warned that any military forces intervening to helps the Kurds were legitimate targets. Kalin stated that such forces, “are on the same level as terror organisations. And for us, that would make them legitimate targets.'' He added ominously, that, "It doesn't matter who makes such an attempt, there will be serious consequences.”
Russia is desperately trying to mediate a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Afrin canton. Putin is aware that open fighting between the TAF and Syrian troops would destroy the so called peace process that he has tried to foster. It would also undermine Russia's credibility in the region as well as being a PR disaster with elections looming in Russia.
The exact terms of the agreement reached between President Assad and the leadership of Kurdish forces, that has allowed Syrian troops to fight in Afrin, is not clear yet. Either way, Arab and Kurdish Syrians are united against Turkey's invasion.
Turkey may now back off and focus upon consolidating the areas it has conquered. Alternatively, Turkey's maverick leader, Recip Erdogan, may decide to go for broke and proceed with his stated aim of laying siege to the city of Afrin which has a population of 500,000 people. If this happens expect all hell to break loose as this would force a major military confrontation between Turkish troops and those of Syria. The long suffering population can only hope that this terrible scenario does not transpire.
Sources:
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/video-syrian-forces-preparing-fight-foreign-aggression/
http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/21022018
http://en.hawarnews.com/turkey-used-chlorine-gas-in-afrin-must-be-held-accountable/
https://www.ypgrojava.org/YPG-special-forces-prevent-massacre
I really have no idea where this is all about to go. I'd suspect that the only thing that can save Afrin now is a full surrender to the SAA. Syria could then say to Turkey "look, we'll disarm them, secure the border and they can be our problem instead of yours". But is it now too late ? Will that actually stop the Turks ? Who do they see as the "true owners of the land" ? Are they invading to neutralize the Kurds, or to occupy ? Will they also conduct the same operation in Manbij ? With Erdogan, it's so random that anything is possible.
I quite agree. It is very volatile. The Russians will no doubt exert huge pressure behind the scenes upon the Turks to back off. Only time will tell. Let us hope the fighting dies down in Afrin for the sack of the civilians caught in the middle.
troll!
see, how do you like it?
Oscar Wilde would be proud of your witty reposte!