.jpg)
By Arian Mufid:
Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu must account for his state’s support for ISIS
On 2th August, when ISIS invaded Sinjar – resulting in mass killings, rapes, looting and the destruction of thousands of homes of Kurds of the Yazidi religion – ISIS couldn’t be stopped for two main reasons. First, the Peshmarga operations were stymied by the tactical errors of some commanders. Second, the ISIS barbarian style of war – incorporating beheadings, rapes, and massacres – planted seeds of terror among the people of Sinjar. By 6th August, ISIS had managed to take control of the main route to Erbil, Kazir, Guer and Maxmur and they were only 30 kilometres away from Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
According to Fuad Hussein, spokesman for president Masud Barzani, the KRG asked Turkey for help and the Turkish government refused. Yet the Turkish ruling AKP party had previously told KRG representatives several times that they regarded KRG security as importantly as the security of Turkey. In reality, the Turkish state has proven that it does not deliver its promises. Eventually President Barzani turned to the US administration explaining that the KRG cannot match the heavy weaponry that ISIS acquired when it captured Mosul in June. The ISIS advance was halted because American air strikes destroyed the most powerful artillery which ISIS had brought to Maxmur to target Erbil. ISIS was then effectively confronted by Peshmarga forces and several areas have since been recaptured from ISIS by KRG forces.
On the eve of the ISIS attack on south Kurdistan, Turkish prime minster Ahmet Davutoglu told local media that Turkey would not get involved in the ISIS war. In fact, the Turkish MIT (intelligence service) has been supporting ISIS since the start of the Syrian civil war, for several reasons. First, the MIT hopes that ISIS can crush the YPG fighters linked to the PYD which has a close relationship with the PKK. The PYD has established a semi-government with the help of other local organisations. The Turkish state was alarmed at the progress of Western Kurdistan, which comprises the areas of Afrin, Kobani and Kamishlo. Second, the MIT has wanted ISIS to help destroy the Syrian government and also hinder the territorial progress of the main Syrian opposition forces. Third, the Turkish state covets the role of key player in any scenario that might arise from the Syrian civil war. For these reasons the PYD has ample evidence that many foreign jihadists have been entering Syria via the Turkish border.
Further evidence of the criminal nexus between Turkey and ISIS is provided by the release on Saturday of 49 Turkish diplomats from Mosul. It is obvious that the Turkish intelligence service has granted a lot of favours to ISIS in return for the release of these hostages. It can be no coincidence that they have been released while ISIS is attacking the Kobani area in western Kurdistan with heavy weapons and soon after the Turkish government announced that it will not join the US-led coalition of states promising to collaborate to defeat ISIS. The Turkish state tried to claim on Saturday that their hostages were released due to some special operation in Mosul, but no one believes such baseless statements. The most powerful nations, such as the US and UK, have so far failed to rescue their hostages using special forces.
ISIS is a psychopathic gang of criminals, not a political organisation, and nobody can deal with them or negotiate a settlement with them. ISIS has politically raped the whole world. They have beheaded two American journalists, one British aid worker and many nameless locals. They have destroyed Syrian antiquities and killed thousands under the pretext of Sharia law. They massacred around 2000 students in the Spyker military base near Tikrit two month ago. They have slaughtered thousands of Kurds of the Yazidi religion in Sinjar, killing the males and abducting the women and girls to sell them on the black market in Mosul city. One of the freed Turkish diplomats correctly told ‘Today’s Zaman’ that ISIS has no God even though these terrorists are always swearing by the Quran and the Prophet Mohammed. Women who managed to escape their clutches have told the local Kurdish media horror stories of assault, rape, torture and mass killing. How can any civilised state deal with these people? The Turkish prime minister needs to issue a statement about what is going on with Turkish foreign policy. Unfortunately, I am sure he has little to say.
The western world needs to investigate the conduct of the Turkish state and hold its actors responsible for enabling ISIS to commit mass murder. The criminal gang ISIS can be defeated by the united forces of democracy and civilisation. The real meaning of ISIS rhetoric is clear. ISIS is a threat to the security of the whole world. Today they control several parts of Iraq and Syria. If not stopped, they will be in Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran tomorrow. ISIS is the cancer of this century, and it has no place in this world. The Turkish Prime minister is such an emotional man, given to crying for poor and needy people. He must explain what he has done and what he will do now to stop ISIS carrying out carry further atrocities.
