It looks like there has been a further deterioration in Syria. In the northeast part of the country, there are now ongoing battles between fighters for al Nusra (the al Qaeda linked Sunni terrorists) and the PYD or Democratic Union Party, a Kurdish group which has been controlling this region which is home to large oil fields. Previously, the Kurds had cooperated with and been part of the rebel opposition to the Assad forces.
It seems that al Nusra has been doing what it and al Qaeda do best: it has been trying to take total control and to squash all opposition through any means possible. In Iraq, it was that sort of activity that led the Iraqi Sunni community to rise up and throw out al Qaeda in Iraq so as to help make the surge a success. In Syria, we are just seeing the beginning of the al Nusra move to take total control of the opposition.
It seems strange that al Nusra is making its move now, since the Assad forces have been advancing in recent weeks on the strength of the Hezbollah and Iranian troops now fighting in Syria. One would normally expect that the current adversity would push all the rebel groups closer together. Al Nusrah, however, has moved in the opposite direction.
The Kurds are not likely to surrender this area to anyone, however. The area has a large Kurdish majority, and the Kurds are tired of centuries of domination by outside forces. The semi-autonomy of the Kurds in neighboring Iraq has emboldened the Kurds in Syria. Indeed, these actions by the Kurds have made Turkey nervous that it will lead to further attempts by the Kurds in that country to separate. If there is one region where a Turkish incursion into Syria is most likely, this is the one.
It seems that al Nusra has been doing what it and al Qaeda do best: it has been trying to take total control and to squash all opposition through any means possible. In Iraq, it was that sort of activity that led the Iraqi Sunni community to rise up and throw out al Qaeda in Iraq so as to help make the surge a success. In Syria, we are just seeing the beginning of the al Nusra move to take total control of the opposition.
It seems strange that al Nusra is making its move now, since the Assad forces have been advancing in recent weeks on the strength of the Hezbollah and Iranian troops now fighting in Syria. One would normally expect that the current adversity would push all the rebel groups closer together. Al Nusrah, however, has moved in the opposite direction.
The Kurds are not likely to surrender this area to anyone, however. The area has a large Kurdish majority, and the Kurds are tired of centuries of domination by outside forces. The semi-autonomy of the Kurds in neighboring Iraq has emboldened the Kurds in Syria. Indeed, these actions by the Kurds have made Turkey nervous that it will lead to further attempts by the Kurds in that country to separate. If there is one region where a Turkish incursion into Syria is most likely, this is the one.
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