Türkiye traded Euphrates Shield to encircle Aleppo
The encirclement of militants in Aleppo became possible thanks to unspoken agreements with Turkey. Deputy Director of the Institute of Forecasting and Political Settlement, Alexander Kuznetsov, stated this at a press conference in Moscow.
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“Many experts are inclined to believe that the encirclement of militants in eastern Aleppo took place due to some kind of implicit agreements with Turkey. It is an established fact that Turkey withdrew its career intelligence officers from Aleppo and significantly reduced assistance to jihadists in exchange for a military operation in northeastern Syria. The Syrian government perceives it as a violation of sovereignty, but at this stage the only possible compromise,” Kuznetsov said.
He recalled that Turkey has long-term interests in northern Syria related to preventing the creation of a Kurdish quasi-state there.
On August 24, Turkey began, together with the Free Syrian Army, to carry out Operation Euphrates Shield. Its goal is to clear ISIS from the northern regions of Syria bordering Turkey. The fighting is taking place mainly in an area of about 100 km between the cities of Aazaz and Jarablus.
Turkey traded the "Euphrates Shield" for the encirclement of Aleppo.