Military solution still viable in northern Syria

Sara Rashad

Agreements between Turkey and Russia for reducing tensions east of the Euphrates raise questions on what will happen in the coming period.

Some people believe, meanwhile, that these agreements have not addressed the main reasons behind the tension in the area. This is why the same people think these agreements will not hold for long.

War re-erupts

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has recently released a report about the reasons for the re-eruption of the war. Turkey, it says, is adamant on fulfilling its expansionist aspirations in northern Syria.

The report details the violations committed by some of the militias backed by Turkey in cities like Afrin against the remnants of its Kurdish population.

The Turkey-backed militias, the observatory says in its report, implement racist policies against the residents of the city, including the enforced selling of their homes for low prices and exploring antiquities.

Total Syrian cleansing

The Syrian army insists, meanwhile, to purge all Syrian territories of the militias controlling them, including the areas controlled by the Turkey-backed militias.

Political analyst Mohamed Farag Abul Nour expected the crisis in northern Syria to be solved via military means despite all de-escalation agreements in the area.

Turkey does not leave any room for political solutions, Abul Nour told The Reference.

He said Syria has a legitimate right to defend its own territory against what he described as the Turkish occupation of these territories.

The Syrian army does not have any other options, Abul Nour said.

He noted that Russia has been trying to prevent a direct confrontation between the Syrian and Turkish armies for some time now.

However, this confrontation will happen any way if Russia fails in convincing Turkey to give up its ambitions in northern Syria, Abul Nour said.