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Turkish expert: Had U.S. opposed Afrin op, Turkey wouldâ€™ve shut down Incirlik and Kurecik bases

29 January 2018 09:00 (UTC +04:00)

Had the United States opposed the Olive Branch Operation in Afrin, the Turkish government would have shut down the Incirlik and Kurecik military bases, said Nevzat Cicek, a prominent expert in Middle East affairs and a commentator for Habertuk TV channel.

Cicek stressed that Turkey is determined to continue the operation.

“It’s a well-thought-out plan. Everything has been agreed with Russia. Had our old partner, the US, opposed Turkey entering Afrin, Turkey would have shut down the Incirlik and Kurecik military bases situated in its territory. I have obtained this information from the highest level of state. The government’s determination in this regard was no secret to the US,” he said.

The expert said everything is going on according to plan.

“The Turkish army aims to successfully conduct this operation without harming civilians. So we’re acting cautiously while pushing forward. Turkey's ultimate goal is to create a "safe zone" at a distance of 10-30 km on the other side of the border. Turkey will bring this issue up after the Manbij operation, planned after the Afrin operation, is over. Even if the PYD terrorist organization surrenders these regions to the Syrian government, Turkey will not give up its idea of creating a ‘safe zone’,” added Nevzat Cicek.

Asked about a possible reaction from the U.S. to Turkey’s further military operations, the expert replied: “There is no unity between the U.S. forces in the region. The CIA controls the Manbij region and the Pentagon controls the right bank of the Euphrates River. Turkey has demonstrated a strong will against the activities of both of these organizations in the region. Washington’s refusal to join the forthcoming Sochi conference that will bring together about 1,500 delegates can significantly change the balance in the region. After the successful operations of Turkey in Afrin and Manbij, the "Greater Middle East" plan of the U.S. could completely fail."