New attack could be catastrophic says journalist Erk Acarer

2024-12-28 11:19:05


	ISTANBUL - Journalist Erk Acarer pointed out that Turkey does not have the power to withstand a new attack on North and East Syria, “If Turkey tries again what it did five years ago, it could end in disaster,” he says. 

	The 61-year-old Assad regime in Syria collapsed following the attacks launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) on November 26. Shortly after the fall of the regime, attacks against people of different faiths, especially Alawites, began. Turkey and its affiliated Syrian National Army (SNA) also began targeting North and East Syrian cities. Journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin were killed in a Turkish airstrike on December 19. As the attacks continue, clashes have intensified around Tishreen Dam and Qereqozak Bridge in the south of Kobanê. 

	 

	Journalist Erk Acarer evaluated the developments in Syria and the massacre of journalists. Acarer, pointing out that he knew the murdered journalists from the field, said: “Accusing and targeting people who only have a camera in their hands as ‘terrorists’ is incompatible with international agreements, humanity, conscience and the morality of war. It is a situation that all segments should react.” 

	 

	'SYRIA IS BEING BESIEGED FROM TWO SIDES' 

	 

	Acarer said that Syria is besieged from two branches, one of which is HTS, led by Abu Muhammad al Colani (Ahmed al-Shera), who is known to be close to the killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and is currently attacking Alawites. The other branch is the SNA, a paramilitary group consolidated by Turkey in an Islamist form. 

	 

	Acarer pointed out that not only people who believe in Islam live in Syria, “The AKP says it wants a ‘one state’ here. How will it do this? They want to create an Ikhwanist, jihadist, Neo-Ottomanist and Sunni Islamist society.  But there are Alevis, Kurds and other ethnic groups here. The AKP's monist mentality will not work here. Erdoğan says 'Turkey is bigger than Turkey'. Turkey is not technically bigger than Turkey. First feed our poor citizens within the territory of Turkey. Stop the collection of bread and food from the garbage.” 

	 

	'NO ONE LEAVES WEAPONS IN WAR' 

	 

	Turkey wants to liquidate the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria said Acarer and added: “They are preparing for this. This is one of the reasons for the crackdown on journalists or the targeting of democratic mass organizations. When Hakan Fidan met with Colani, he said that the areas controlled by the YPG must be free of weapons. Colani also started saying this. The attacks on the SNA and the shipments on the Turkish border indicate that there will be an attack. I don't believe that in a climate of war no one will disarm. Everyone is cautious and wants to protect their own territory. Turkey may attack. But there are certain elements and values that the Kurds have gained. I don't think the Kurds will give up so easily. This war is also a war for the arms trade, oil and the spoils of Syria.”

	 

	'POSSIBLE OPERATION COULD END IN DISASTER'

	 

	Stressed that Turkey does not have the strength to withstand an attack on North and East Syria, Acarer continued: “I receive information from both jihadists and Kurds on the ground. We see that the SNA is not advancing much on the Manbij and Tishreen Dam line. We see that Turkey wants to get closer to HTS at this point. Turkey is not the Turkey of 10 years ago or 5 years ago. The economy is very bad and it cannot afford so much polarization. Because the process that started in 2014-2015 and became even more troubled with the Kobanê incidents, the bombings in Ankara, Suruç and Diyarbakır and the destruction of cities, also created some ruptures between societies. Therefore, if Turkey tries again what it did 5 years ago, it could result in a disaster. This is not sustainable.” 

	 

	MA / Melik Çelik