Airstrike on Turkish Soldiers in Northern Syria on 1st Anniversary of Shooting Down of Russian Warplane

Ankara- Ankara pledged on Thursday to retaliate to an airstrike launched by the Syrian regime near the city of al-Bab in northern Syria, which left three Turkish soldiers dead and more than 10 injured.

Meanwhile, sources hinted to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that a Russian flag was seen flying when the airstrike was launched.

The airstrike took place around 3:30 am on Thursday. Later during the day, Turkey’s Prime Minister Benali Yildirim held a press conference in the capital Ankara to comment on the assault.

“It is clear that some people are not happy with this battle Turkey has been fighting against ISIS. This attack will surely draw retaliation,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Turkish military said an airstrike that it “assessed to have been carried out by Syrian regime forces” has killed three soldiers, becoming the first Turkish victims killed by the regime since Turkey launched on Aug. 24 its Euphrates Shield Operation to support units from the Free Syrian Army.

The attack also came on the first anniversary of Turkey shooting down a Russian warplane over Syria, which prompted a lengthy diplomatic rift between Moscow and Ankara that only ended in August.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last Wednesday that the Turkish-backed forces were close to taking the city of al-Bab, the last stronghold of ISIS in the northern Aleppo countryside. The president said his forces would attack Manbij and later Raqqa.

Forces allied to head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, warned Turkey last month against making any advance toward their positions to the north and east of Aleppo.

Turkish sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Thursday’s airstrike leaves several question marks regarding its timing. The sources said Russia controls the airspace in the area and that Moscow coordinates with Ankara as part of the Euphrates Shield Operation and within the tripartite coordination committees between the Army, the Intelligence and the foreign ministries of both countries.

Turkish political expert Mohammed Oshak did not rule out a possibility that Russia could have been informed about the airstrike, adding that Turkey coordinates well with the active parties in the Syrian crisis.

Since Turkey launched Euphrates Shield, Syrian opposition factions have been able to liberate an estimated 1,820 square kilometers of territories out of a total 5,000 square kilometers that Turkey plans to liberate before establishing its buffer zone.

Airstrike on Turkish Soldiers in Northern Syria on 1st Anniversary of Shooting Down of Russian Warplane

Why Trump's Washington Loves Mattis

It says something about Donald Trump that a retired Marine general nicknamed “Mad Dog” is uniting the divided swamp the next president has promised to drain.

It’s true. Democrats and Republicans, NeverTrump and NeverHillary, the alt-right and the wonky cucks of the GOP all agree: James Mattis for Secretary of Defense. So far, the swamp looks like it will get its wish. Mattis visited Trump Saturday in New Jersey and Republican sources are chattering that he is now the front-runner to be the civilian leader of the world’s greatest military.

This news was greeted with bipartisan relief at the Halifax International Security Forum, an annual conference in Nova Scotia that brings together foreign policy elites from Western democracies. For the most part, this is not Trump country. It is however, Mattis country.

Let’s start with some progressives. “Given the range of people who have been suggested, I think he will be a good choice,” Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen told me.

“I have not met General Mattis,” Senator Chris Coons, another Democrat, said. “But by his reputation he is seasoned and capable military officer. Obviously he deserves a full and fair hearing.”

Heather Hurlburt, the director of the New Models of Policy Change initiative at the New America think tank, said, “Mattis is respected by people I respect.”

I know what you’re thinking. The swamp has already gotten to the Donald. He’s nominating a squish to appease the Georgetown set. But this is not the case. Take Mike Gallagher, a Marine veteran who just won his first election to serve as a Republican member of the House from Wisconsin. He told me, “I know of no better patriot, warrior or servant-leader than General Mattis.”

Syndicated radio host and Trump backer Laura Ingraham agrees. She tweeted on Friday that “Mattis is the best candidate for SecDef.”

This is understandable. When Mattis served in President Barack Obama’s first term as the head of U.S. Central Command, he was frustrated the U.S. did not more robustly respond to an Iranian plot to murder the Saudi ambassador in Washington. This year, he said the Iran nuclear agreement was only a temporary delay to Iran’s quest for a nuclear weapon, not the foundation for friendlier relations, as some of the deal’s proponents argue.

Then there is the persona Mattis has cultivated as the ultimate warrior-Marine.

Just look up “Mattis quotes” on Google. One of my favorites: “I’m going to plead with you, do not cross us. Because if you do, the survivors will write about what we do here for 10,000 years.”

At the same time, quotes like that don’t capture another side of Mattis, who is also known as the “Warrior Monk,” because he never married and is an avid reader. In his retirement, he works out of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, where he edited a serious book about civil-military relations.

That book will be more pertinent than ever because Mattis, who retired in 2013, has not been out of the military long enough to serve as the Secretary of Defense. Republicans supporting his nomination have said they will have to get a Congressional waiver, but expect there won’t be any problem with that.

Finally, Mattis himself has shown sound political judgment in a year when most of the professional political class failed to predict the election of Trump. When he was approached in the spring by a handful of NeverTrump Republicans to launch an independent run for president, the Mad Dog demurred and declined.

Needless to say, the NeverTrump crowd is delighted at the prospect of the Warrior Monk/Mad Dog running the Pentagon. It appears Trump is coming around to this, as well. The president-elect tweeted Sunday morning “General James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis, who is being considered for Secretary of Defense, was very impressive yesterday. A true General’s General!”

On this point, almost all of Washington agrees.

Bloomberg

Why Trump's Washington Loves Mattis

Battles Between SDF and ISIS Rage in Raqqa’s countryside

The battle for Raqqa has begun to have a huge negative impact on the lives of civilians, hundreds of whom have been displaced due to violent clashes and exchanges of fire between Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that are backed by the international coalition on one hand, and ISIS on the other.

On the other side of Raqqa, the Manbij Military Council is engaged in violent confrontations with ISIS and was able to seize control of a town called Al-Areema in the north eastern countryside of Aleppo. The Kurds indicated that the areas that they are liberating will remain under their control, and that they will treat the Turks as “an occupying forces” if they made any advances.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “fierce battles took place in the regions of Al-Kalita and Khaneez which are located in the northern countryside of Raqqa, between ISIS fighters and the SDF which are supported by the international coalition’s aircraft”. He added that the international coalition “is trying to progress in the region, expand further and take control of more areas having succeeded since the 6th of November in making advances on and seizing 48 farms, villages and locations in the countrysides of northern Raqqa and Ain Esa”.

Battles Between SDF and ISIS Rage in Raqqa’s countryside

Ankara and Erbil Reject the Establishment of a PKK Base in Sinjar

Intensive talks held by the Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Nechervan Barzani in Ankara on Wednesday focussed on the current battles to liberate Mosul from ISIS. It appears that Turkish officials are keen to prevent the establishment of a new base belonging to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sinjar in northern Iraq in light of current developments in Syria and Iraq and fears about Kurdish moves on the Turkish border.

Barzani also brought up the matter of members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and pro-Kurdish Turkish politicians including Mardin co-mayor Ahmet Türk being detained by the Turkish authorities as part of the ongoing terror probe on their links to the PKK “terrorist organisation”.

Turkish sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Barzani’s meetings with his Turkish counterpart Turkish Prime Minister Benali Yildirim, the Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were dominated by developments in Mosul. Turkish officials expressed their sensitivities about current developments in the context of the battle for Mosul and Turkey’s red lines. They were particularly keen that a new base for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is not established in Sinjar in the Qandil Mountains which is a source of constant nuisance for Turkey. The sources added that Barzani stressed that the position of Iraqi Kurdistan on the matter corresponds to that of Turkey’s, and that Kurdistan will not accept the entry of PKK fighters into Sinjar in order to establish a base there.

Barzani expressed concern about the possibility of Sinjar being turned into the second headquarters of the PKK in northern Iraq, and stressed that Peshmerga forces are trying to gain the upper hand in the region which is home to about 4,000 Yazidis.

The sources added that Turkish officials have expressed their appreciation for the Kurdistan Regional Government’s position and the role played by Peshmerga forces in the battle for Mosul and their confrontation of the PKK’s actions. The officials also stressed that Turkey would not stand by in the case that the PKK transformed Sinjar into a base, and that it has taken all necessary measures to do so.

On his part, Barzani proposed the resumption of peace talks on domestic security to Turkish officials in order to settle the Kurdish problem and the issue regarding the arrest of representatives of the HDP, and he focussed in particular on the veteran Kurdish politician who was arrested on Monday. He is a prominent figure who has close ties with the leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Ankara and Erbil Reject the Establishment of a PKK Base in Sinjar

Missing Bushehr Radioactive Device Raises Concerns

Riyadh – A missing radioactive device from the Bushehr nuclear reactor has raised concerns of possible misuse or incorrect handling.

The device went missing after the vehicle it was transporting it was stolen. The car was later found but without the device that could be used for industrial purposes.

Adnan al-Tamimi, Chairman of the GCC Emergency Management Center, voiced his concerns that the missing device could be misused. He stated the device loses half of its power after 74 days of inactivity; nonetheless it should be handled carefully.

Tamimi told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that, along with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there are concerns of negative impact of the Iranian nuclear program that could pollute the waters of the Arabian Gulf.

The chairman said most Gulf countries depend on the desalination of sea water and the matter is very critical especially if the contamination reaches desalination stations.

According to Tamimi, low safety and security levels at Bushehr raise many concerns along with Iran’s ambiguity about the matter. He elaborated that Gulf countries are anxious about the next stage especially that Iran is not transparent concerning its nuclear program.

Last week, the U.S. Congress approved a bill, with 419 votes in favor and one against, renewing sanctions on the Islamic republic for another decade. The congress voted on sanctions linked to Iran’s ballistic missile tests and human rights record that pre-date the controversy around Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

U.S. Department of the Treasury might take further action to implement existing U.S. sanctions against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The bill if approved by the congress, will ask the Department of Treasury to provide an extensive report about the IRGC’s activity within 30 days.

The recent U.S. developments come amid increased bloody involvement of IRGC in Iraq, Syria and Yemen as well as supporting terrorism in Arab countries and arming and funding armed Shi’ite militias in Iraq and Syria.

Missing Bushehr Radioactive Device Raises Concerns

Cautious Optimism on Lebanese Cabinet Formation

Beirut- Consultations held on the sidelines of Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday gave a new impetus to the efforts exerted by Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to form Lebanon’s new government.

“The atmosphere over the cabinet formation is positive,” Speaker Nabih Berri was quoted as saying by a number of MPs on Wednesday. He said he hoped that remaining “minor hurdles” would be sorted out so that a new government could be formed soon as possible.

“A workshop is awaiting the new government, at the forefront of which is studying and approving a new electoral law,” Berri said.

He stressed that a new voting system should be at the top of topics that need to be tackled by the cabinet as a prelude to holding parliamentary elections scheduled in May next year.

An official who met Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the last hurdle delaying the cabinet formation is caused by Christian parties.

“The president and the PM-designate should now work on solving it,” the source said.

But a source close to the cabinet formation process said the last remaining obstacle is Berri’s insistence on retaining the public works ministry to his bloc, in addition to representing the Marada Movement in the new government.

Marada in its turn is holding onto the telecommunications, energy or public works ministry.

“But efforts are being exerted to convince the Marada to get another ministry,” said the source.

A Free Patriotic Movement source also told Asharq Al-Awsat that a deal on the distribution of the 12 Christian ministers in a 24-member cabinet has been struck – The FPM will get three, the Lebanese Forces another three, the president will get two (because he will name a Sunni minister from his share) while the Tashnag Party, Kataeb, Marada and Future Movement will have each one Christian minister.

FPM leader caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil said there was no real reason for the delay in announcing the new government after agreement has been reached on fundamental details.

“Agreement has been reached on fundamental and big details and there is no real reason for delaying the announcement of the government, except for some details that might be important for some and less important for others,” Bassil said.

Cautious Optimism on Lebanese Cabinet Formation

Turkish Army Blames Assad Regime for Deadly Air Strike

The Turkish army blamed the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad for an air strike on Thursday in northern Syria that killed three soldiers and wounded 10, it said in a statement.

“In the air strike assessed to have been by Syrian regime forces, three of our heroic soldiers were killed and 10 wounded,” said the statement on the Turkish military website. One of the wounded troops was said to be in critical condition.

The attack occurred at around 3:30 am in the course of a Turkish-led Syrian rebel operation in northern Syria, the army statement said. It added the wounded soldiers were evacuated rapidly from the area.

Turkish media reported earlier that the attack in the Al Bab region was carried out by ISIS jihadists.

Security and hospital sources in Turkey also said ISIS militants were behind the attack.

They said the wounded soldiers were transferred to hospitals in the Turkish border provinces of Kilis and Gaziantep.

It would be the first time Turkish soldiers are known to have been killed by Syrian regime forces in the offensive, dubbed Euphrates Shield, which was launched three months ago in northern Syria.

The Turkish military launched the offensive in August supporting Syrian opposition fighters seeking to retake territory from ISIS in northern Syria with tanks and aerial support.

Hundreds of Turkish soldiers are taking part in the operation, which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said this week was pushing forward with its aim of taking Al Bab from ISIS.

“We reached Al Bab right now and besieged it from the west,” the president said in a speech on Tuesday.

The latest deaths raise to at least 15 the number of Turkish soldiers killed since Turkey began its operation in northern Syria.

Most were killed by ISIS but one soldier was killed in an attack blamed on the Kurdish People’s Protection Forces (YPG).

Turkish Army Blames Assad Regime for Deadly Air Strike