The downing of the Turkish military aircraft by Syria has complicated relations between Damascus and Ankara even more. The two countries have massaged troops at the border, prepared for any scenario. Ankara has taken the first step and, after describing the last Friday incident as a “hostile act”, it will strengthen border security. Turkey sent Thursday a convoy of dozens of military vehicles loaded with missile batteries, 50 km from the border with Syria.
OK from NATO
The press in Ankara wrote that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had urged NATO Council to give Turkey permission to place anti-aircraft batteries near the border and would have assured allies’ support for this. Convened this week at the request of Turkey, NATO announced its solidarity with Ankara, but there is no question of NATO military intervention in Syria, until all political solutions have been exhausted.
Turkey’s operation has not remained unanswered. General Mustafa al-Sheikh, head of the Supreme Military Council, a body of senior officers who deserted from the Syrian army, said that Damascus had sent 170 tanks of the 17th Mechanized Division to a region bordering Turkey. The general explained that the armored vehicles are currently stationed near Aleppo, about 30 km from the border with Turkey.
Defensive operation
“Syrian military are preparing in one way or another to counter the deployment of Turkish troops at the border or a possible attack against villages occupied by the rebels in the border area north of Aleppo,” said Syrian general. Specialists consider that the deployment of forces of Turkey could rather be defensive. Things are not good on the diplomatic front. The plan of the international mediator for Syria, Kofi Annan, on forming a transitional government in Damascus, which would be discussed at an international conference today in Geneva, is met with Russia’s objections.
Bashar al-Assad’s answer
From Damascus, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced that he will not accept any solution to the crisis that comes from outside the country. Syrian leader says it’s “an internal matter”, in which the West has no place. Turkey broke relations with its former political and economic ally, Syria, since last year, criticizing the bloody repression of the revolt movement started in March 2011. Ankara joined the position of Western states, demanding the departure of Syrian president from power.
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