Saudi Arabia and Turkey prepare for Syrian invasion, expect 'massive escalation'.

a reply to: daaskapital

But did they condemn the retaking of Menagh airport? Because that's mostly what all this shelling is about.

p.s. found this article
www.dailysabah.com...
but outside of bloomberg I'm not finding many mainstream media riding the news, they mostly report the turkish-bashing.

It's rather strange that sputnik is more prudent than some US media
sputniknews.com...

US State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Turkey and Syrian Kurdish forces should move to deescalate tensions in northern Syria.

www.foxnews.com...

The U.S. government called Saturday on Turkey to stop shelling American-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria as the militants sought to seize new ground before a possible cease-fire, creating dangerous fissures between tenuous allies in the war against Islamic State extremists.

Is there an anti-turkish agenda in the making?

a reply to: daaskapital

The problem here is they are seizing ISIS territories, by taking out ISIS. SO basically, they are telling the Kurds to stop fighting ISIS.

This is a problem, whether anyone wants to recognize it as one or not as this is clear support for ISIS from Turkey and US if US is telling Kurds to stop taking ISIS territories from them.

BREAKING: France calls for halt to Turkish bombing of Kurdish forces in #Syria - @AFP

a reply to: 2012newstart

that means, after the US distanced itself from Turkey and called for halt of shelling, now France voices against escalations of Turkey's ambitious plans at the sacrifice of Kurds and others, that ultimately would see Turkey against Russia in a war that may well be the start of WW3.

originally posted by: Mastronaut
a reply to: daaskapital

But did they condemn the retaking of Menagh airport? Because that's mostly what all this shelling is about.

I haven't heard any US condemnation of the Kurds/SDF seizing the airport. Turkey told them to leave, but they refused on the grounds that jihadists will just walk back in.

p.s. found this article
www.dailysabah.com...
but outside of bloomberg I'm not finding many mainstream media riding the news, they mostly report the turkish-bashing.

It's an interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

I don't see much Turkish bashing outside of propaganda mouthpieces.

Most things seem to be fairly balanced, mentioning Kurdish operations and Turkish shelling.

It's rather strange that sputnik is more prudent than some US media
sputniknews.com...
US State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Turkey and Syrian Kurdish forces should move to deescalate tensions in northern Syria.

Indeed. I don't expect much from Russian state sources, but Sputnik seems to be going okay. RT is still extremely biased, but at least they cover the situation...

www.foxnews.com...
The U.S. government called Saturday on Turkey to stop shelling American-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria as the militants sought to seize new ground before a possible cease-fire, creating dangerous fissures between tenuous allies in the war against Islamic State extremists.

Is there an anti-turkish agenda in the making?

I don't think it is an anti-Turkish thing, so much as it is a lack of journalistic rigour.

originally posted by: Kitana
a reply to: daaskapital

The problem here is they are seizing ISIS territories, by taking out ISIS. SO basically, they are telling the Kurds to stop fighting ISIS.

This is a problem, whether anyone wants to recognize it as one or not as this is clear support for ISIS from Turkey and US if US is telling Kurds to stop taking ISIS territories from them.

They're just telling the Kurds to stop attacking rebels in Northern Aleppo. The immediate area does not have a significant ISIS presence (although it does have other jihadist groups like Jabhat al-Nusra). That said, it is stuck between PYD territory, ISIS territory and the Regime territory. So if the Kurds keep marching East from Afrin, they will meet ISIS. They haven't yet though.

i wonder if people over there carry a manual that they can thumb through
to keep track of who they are mad at and who is their friends?
i find it very hard to keep track of who is who sometimes.

pbs.twimg.com... @WarfareWW
Four layers of #Russian air defense at #Hmeimim air base in #Syria

Warmongers fighting warmongers fighting warmongers. The way it has always been, and the way it shall always be.

Am I the only one who thinks everybody should back off, and focus only on containment?

a reply to: daaskapital

Humans are so stupid. Seems like all we are good at is killing each other and the planet. No wonder we dont hear any aliens out there, they probably all blew themselves up like we are going to. This song came to mind and it will at least allow us to laugh.

Some reports suggesting that Turkey has transported ~400 Islamist rebels from Idlib province to northern Aleppo in an attempt to stop the Kurds.

twitter.com...

originally posted by: autopat51
i wonder if people over there carry a manual that they can thumb through
to keep track of who they are mad at and who is their friends?
i find it very hard to keep track of who is who sometimes.

Even just trying to keep track of the various Kurdish factions, there's Kurds against Turkey, and vice versa, there's Kurds that NATO is training (northern Iraq), and other Kurds that I haven't figured out yet, news media doesn't do a good job when we hear about various groups bombing, or getting bombed - they're mostly just calling them Kurds without telling us which of the half dozen factions.....

Is an enemy of an enemy always a friend? Or a friend of an enemy isn't always an enemy...
And it all changes week by week....

a reply to: daaskapital

They are Jaish al-Fatah. Al-Nusra front had disagreements with them over how to apply sharia law in areas under their control. From what I hear, its not a definite split though as they are in talks, but not working together for the moment.

They might be slightly more mild than al-Nusra, but perhaps not much.

On Saturday, Turkey demanded the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia withdraw from areas that it had captured in northern Aleppo in recent days from insurgents in Syria, including the Menagh air base.

The shelling has targeted those areas.

Syria's Government condemned the Turkish offensive on Sunday, urging the United Nations to intervene.

"The foreign ministry strongly condemns the repeated Turkish crimes and attacks against the Syrian people and Syria's territorial integrity," state news agency SANA said.

The ministry called on the United Nations Security Council to "put an end to the crimes of the Turkish regime".

Turkey has been alarmed by the expansion of Kurdish sway in northern Syria since the start of the conflict in 2011.

The ministry statement said that on Saturday, 12 pick-up trucks equipped with heavy machine guns and ammunition had crossed into Syria from Turkey via Bab al-Salama.

They "were accompanied by around 100 gunmen, some of them Turkish forces and Turkish mercenaries," SANA added.

www.abc.net.au...

a reply to: Kitana

Yeah. I used Jabhat al-Nusra as an example. They have a presence in the Northern Aleppo corridor, but perhaps not to the same extent as other rebels or Islamists.

If i recall correctly, Jabhat al-Nusra is more active in the immediate Aleppo and Idlib areas.

a reply to: daaskapital

Al Nusra has ties to Turkey, very close ones it seems. So really it depends on which group Turkey sends in

www.mcclatchydc.com...

I don't see how NATO can continue to claim Turkey as one of their own for much longer.

BBC news at 5 just reported that Saudi planes have landed at Turkish bases. Blimey this is getting a little scary.

originally posted by: Mastronaut
a reply to: daaskapital

But did they condemn the retaking of Menagh airport? Because that's mostly what all this shelling is about.

p.s. found this article
www.dailysabah.com...
but outside of bloomberg I'm not finding many mainstream media riding the news, they mostly report the turkish-bashing.

It's rather strange that sputnik is more prudent than some US media
sputniknews.com...

US State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Turkey and Syrian Kurdish forces should move to deescalate tensions in northern Syria.

www.foxnews.com...

The U.S. government called Saturday on Turkey to stop shelling American-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria as the militants sought to seize new ground before a possible cease-fire, creating dangerous fissures between tenuous allies in the war against Islamic State extremists.

Is there an anti-turkish agenda in the making?

I sure hope there is. Erdogan is dangerous and does not have the same ideals that the west does. They should be kicked out of NATO before they entangle them into their grand plans.

The Turks have been supporting ISIS all along. Even when it bites them in the arse.

Their goal is to destroy the Kurds and get Assad out. At all costs. The return of the Ottaman empire.

a reply to: ufoorbhunter

If those f-16 with Saudi pilots go against Russian Su 35's they will be looking for new aircraft and pilots. This is getting idiotic fast.

What a great time for the US to back out of allegiance with Turkey and Saudia Arabia and say well.....good luck.