Race for Raqqa heats up: FSA or YPG?
FSA members celebrate as al-Bab entirely cleared of ISIS terrorists – Feb. 23, 2017 (AA)
Yunus Paksoy
The Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG) is an armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria and both are affiliated with the PKK terrorist group. It is a fact. However, the PYD and the YPG enjoyed the freedom of conducting their activities in Syria thanks to the strong backing of the Obama administration.
While Turkey considered the YPG a terrorist organization, Washington abstained from making such a categorization. Now that the Obama era is over, there is a new president in the Oval Office. Donald Trump, whose actions cannot be anticipated by anyone, could decide to put an end to the YPG’s hegemony in Syria.
A chapter in Operation Euphrates Shield has been closed following the liberation of al-Bab from ISIS terrorists. The Free Syrian Army (FSA), in cooperation with the Turkish military, breached al-Bab and took full control of the town after a months-long operation.
Having dealt with the al-Bab offensive, Ankara has now turned its attention to the so-called capital of ISIS, Raqqa. Knowing that the Trump administration could turn a new page on the YPG issue, Ankara has drawn up different offensive plans to liberate Raqqa from ISIS.
According to recent news articles in Turkish media outlets, Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, during his meeting with the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford at the Incirlik Air base on Friday, offered Turkey’s plans to liberate Raqqa.
The YPG, under the guise of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has for months been carrying out an offensive named the Wrath of the Euphrates to retake Raqqa. According to sources close to the YPG, which Ankara considers to be a terrorist group, it is only kilometers away from Raqqa. Three months into the operation, they are now just kilometers away from the city. However, the amount of time it will take to completely take over the city remains a matter of great uncertainty.
Ankara’s plans to capture Raqqa exclude the YPG. In fact, it only includes FSA elements. In addition, Ankara envisages the Turkish military’s tactical support the FSA during the offensive.
It remains a question whether the Trump administration will be convinced by such a plan. Could Washington change the course of a months-long operation while the YPG is at the outskirts of Raqqa? It could if the Trump administration would not risk losing a strong NATO ally.
If Washington decides to further side with the YPG on the ground in Syria against ISIS, its NATO ally is highly likely to clash with its “on-the-ground partner.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already asserted that Turkey’s objectives will be PYD-held Manbij, Afrin and ISIS-held Raqqa.
One could not anticipate Ankara’s moves if it were to be frustrated regarding the Raqqa offensive. A likely guess would be Manbij and Afrin operations.
The race for the Raqqa offensive is heating up and there are numerous variables on the ground. The Trump administration seems to be the sole determining actor on the issue. Trump could learn from Obama’s mistakes and side with its decades-long NATO ally instead of a terrorist group.
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Yunus Paksoy is the chief reporter of the Istanbul-based Turkish newspaper DAILY SABAH. Paksoy has covered Turkey’s Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria and the Mosul Operation in Iraq and focuses on developments in Syria, the Middle East and Turkey’s southeast.
www.fotavgeia.blogspot.com
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