Russia threatens the whole of Europe
30,000 more refugees might migrate to Turkey due to the Russian air operations on Turkmen regions only to support the Assad Regime
Russia is continuing its air operations in Syria with the aim of supporting the Damascus regime's ground offensive in cities controlled by opposition groups. This situation accompanies the danger of exposing Turkey, which shoulders the economic and social burden of nearly 2 million refugees, to new waves of migration. As is known, every Syrian who comes to Turkey is a potential refugee who might strive to reach Europe. According to reports from the region, Russia, which has violated Turkish airspace, is shelling civilians in addition to rebel-held settlements targeted by President Bashar Assad's forces. The bombing of a field hospital in Yamadiyah is just one example of this.
Mohammad Abdullah, a Turkmen commander, told Al-Jazeera that military camps pounded by Russia are 600 meters from Turkey's Beysun border police station. He also said that since the geographical conditions of the region where they are positioned do not allow air attacks coming from inner parts of Syria, Russian warplanes reached there by violating Turkish airspace and overtly targeted them. In short, in front of the whole world, Russia is conducting massacres that Assad cannot dare, as he shies away from the reaction of the international community and the military power of neighboring Turkey.
What is more frightening is that Russia's air operations point the way to a large ground offensive to be prepared by the regime. It is estimated that more than 30,000 civilians might migrate to Turkey through the Yayladağ border with Russia's air support for Assad's forces' operations on Turkmen regions with artillery on the ground. Reports also suggest that the Damascus regime, which is relieved by the Russian air strikes, is accumulating military ammunition in the north of Hama that is controlled by opposition groups. In short, it is only a matter of time until tens of thousands of Syrians migrate to Turkey. Since it is no secret that the gap created by opponents will be filled by external powers that are affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), Hezbollah and Iran, which operate in the region, it would not be surprising if tens of thousands of refugees were added to this figure with every passing day.
This problem does not concern Turkey alone. Over the past month the world has been talking about Syrian refugees who try to reach Europe from Turkey. This means Russia's Syria operation, which has resulted in a domino effect, is not a detail of a regional conflict where the U.S. and Europe will keep their head in the sand.Pay them whatever they want.
It appears the West has not learned any lesson from the experiences brought by the over four-year Syrian civil war. The U.S. contents itself with a naive condemnation of Russia's reckless air strikes, and the European Council seems to content itself with a recently prepared draft action plan that stipulates paying a subsidy of 1 billion euros to Turkey over the next two years. There is no one who brings up the alternative of a secure zone, which Ankara has insisted on, thinking that it will protect Turkey and the whole of Europe from massive influxes of refugees. The U.S.'s acceptance of a symbolic number of refugees, its plans to support nongovernmental organizations in the region and its steps that will strengthen diplomacy, such as opening border security offices, are far from bringing a structural solution to the problem.
Indeed, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's insistence on the establishment of secure zones, which will allow Syrians to live in their own country, is advantageous in all respects.
Apparently, as a NATO member and a prospective EU member, Turkey will shoulder another burden of such giant international organizations in the region on its own, as it has always been. As for the West, it is preoccupied with funny futuristic projects, such as nominating German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the Nobel Peace Prize despite breaking her promise to take refugees in after facing just a few thousands of them.
Be sure that the West will nominate Merkel for this great award, and the academy will accept it. Also, be sure that those medals, as Rabindranath Tagore says, will shine with shame, while the Mediterranean becomes more and more reminiscent of a cemetery with the bodies of Syrian children who flee the war.
Mohammad Abdullah, a Turkmen commander, told Al-Jazeera that military camps pounded by Russia are 600 meters from Turkey's Beysun border police station. He also said that since the geographical conditions of the region where they are positioned do not allow air attacks coming from inner parts of Syria, Russian warplanes reached there by violating Turkish airspace and overtly targeted them. In short, in front of the whole world, Russia is conducting massacres that Assad cannot dare, as he shies away from the reaction of the international community and the military power of neighboring Turkey.
What is more frightening is that Russia's air operations point the way to a large ground offensive to be prepared by the regime. It is estimated that more than 30,000 civilians might migrate to Turkey through the Yayladağ border with Russia's air support for Assad's forces' operations on Turkmen regions with artillery on the ground. Reports also suggest that the Damascus regime, which is relieved by the Russian air strikes, is accumulating military ammunition in the north of Hama that is controlled by opposition groups. In short, it is only a matter of time until tens of thousands of Syrians migrate to Turkey. Since it is no secret that the gap created by opponents will be filled by external powers that are affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), Hezbollah and Iran, which operate in the region, it would not be surprising if tens of thousands of refugees were added to this figure with every passing day.
This problem does not concern Turkey alone. Over the past month the world has been talking about Syrian refugees who try to reach Europe from Turkey. This means Russia's Syria operation, which has resulted in a domino effect, is not a detail of a regional conflict where the U.S. and Europe will keep their head in the sand.Pay them whatever they want.
It appears the West has not learned any lesson from the experiences brought by the over four-year Syrian civil war. The U.S. contents itself with a naive condemnation of Russia's reckless air strikes, and the European Council seems to content itself with a recently prepared draft action plan that stipulates paying a subsidy of 1 billion euros to Turkey over the next two years. There is no one who brings up the alternative of a secure zone, which Ankara has insisted on, thinking that it will protect Turkey and the whole of Europe from massive influxes of refugees. The U.S.'s acceptance of a symbolic number of refugees, its plans to support nongovernmental organizations in the region and its steps that will strengthen diplomacy, such as opening border security offices, are far from bringing a structural solution to the problem.
Indeed, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's insistence on the establishment of secure zones, which will allow Syrians to live in their own country, is advantageous in all respects.
Apparently, as a NATO member and a prospective EU member, Turkey will shoulder another burden of such giant international organizations in the region on its own, as it has always been. As for the West, it is preoccupied with funny futuristic projects, such as nominating German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the Nobel Peace Prize despite breaking her promise to take refugees in after facing just a few thousands of them.
Be sure that the West will nominate Merkel for this great award, and the academy will accept it. Also, be sure that those medals, as Rabindranath Tagore says, will shine with shame, while the Mediterranean becomes more and more reminiscent of a cemetery with the bodies of Syrian children who flee the war.
Last Update: October 08, 2015 02:23