‘To bring Daesh back on the scene is a sly and dirty move by the U.S. in response to Turkey’s resolute stance on Qandil and Manbij,’ says retired Brigadier İhsan Başbozkurt
The United States, which delivered a 24,000-square-kilometer area to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) by dividing Syria, has once again resorted to using the Daesh terror group. Despite the Pentagon’s statement saying that Daesh had been defeated in 2017, the terrorists in Hasakah and Deir Ezzor have entered the field once more.
Daesh captured al-Didye village on the Hasakah-Shaddadi line as well as the Baguz village in the Deir Ezzor countryside. Retired Brigadier İhsan Başbozkurt evaluated field developments in an exclusive interview with Yeni Şafak.
“To bring Daesh back on the scene is a sly and dirty move by the U.S. in response to Turkey’s resolute stance on Qandil and Manbij. The mission assigned to Daesh between 2013 and 2017 was to form the pretext for occupation; now it is to legitimize the terror map which is shaping in the occupied areas,” Başbozkurt said.
Officials have hinted at a possible Turkish operation in Iraq’s Qandil, which is considered as the main base of the PKK terror group.
“Daesh terrorists who are gathered from almost every region of Syria are employed by U.S. military and intelligence agencies. How could Daesh suddenly emerge and take control of areas controlled by U.S. troops and the PKK? What we have seen very clearly in the Syrian process is that terrorist organizations are the only element that the U.S. has embraced in order to actualize the occupation map designed for the region,” the retired brigadier added.
“Turkey has overcome the majority of the terror line in northern Iraq. The logistical connection between their [PKK] headquarters in Qandil and Turkey has been severed. The period that started with Afrin has advanced to Manbij and both the Syrian people and Turkey are working to eliminate the PKK. These factors have pushed the U.S. to take action,” Başbozkurt said.
Weapons that were supplied to terrorists from the PKK/YPG will be taken back as they withdraw from the city within the scope of the Manbij roadmap agreement between the U.S. and Turkey, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Tuesday.
“The pawns they [U.S.] train at various bases are released on the field when they see it as appropriate. Daesh attacks were designed to sabotage the Ayn Issa, Manbij, Raqqa, Tell Abayd and Qandil period and give the PKK a break. The U.S.-Israel-Europe-Gulf alliance, which has made extraordinary efforts to keep Raqqa controlled by the PKK, is trying everything for this purpose. This is why the Arab Force project is being formed. We must give extraordinary importance to Raqqa and pay attention to it,” he added.
Brigadier Başbozkurt said the U.S. was openly protecting Daesh in Iraq and Syria, adding that the group was active across various points in these countries. There is a risk that Daesh may also take the stage in Iraq, he added.
“Nobody should doubt that if Iraq does not elect a government that serves the Israel-U.S. plan, many Iraqi cities – including Mosul and Kirkuk – will again be plagued by Daesh,” Başbozkurt said.
In 2016, U.S. President Donald Trump had stated that former U.S. leader Barack Obama founded Daesh. “He's the founder of ISIS [Daesh]. I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton,” said Trump.
