Syrian Turkmen Brigades
| Syrian Turkmen Brigades | |
|---|---|
|
Suriye Türkmen Ordusu Suriye Türkmen Cephesi Participant in the Syrian Civil War | |
|
Official flag of Syrian Turkmen as declared by the official governing body of Turkmen in Syria, the Syrian Turkmen Assembly on 25th November 2015. | |
| Active | 2012–present |
| Ideology | Turkish nationalism |
| Allegiance | |
| Area of operations |
Syria, mainly: |
| Strength | 10,000 (2013)[1] |
| Part of |
Fatah Halab Jaysh Halab[2][3] Ansar al-Sharia[4] Hawar Kilis Operations Room |
| Allies |
|
| Opponents | |
| Battles and wars | |
| Syrian Turkmen Brigades | |
|---|---|
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Ebu Bekir Muhammed Abbas[8] |
| Spokesperson and Aleppo Commander | Ali Basher[8] |
| Spokesperson and Turkmen Mountain/Latakia Commander | Muhammed Awad[8] |
| Notable commanders |
Muhammed Genç (Jarabulus and Turkey-Syria Border Commander) Abdulmuti Kahiye (Homs Commander) Halit Bereket (Damascus area Commander) Ebu Farouq (Damascus area Commander) Mahmut Süleyman Halit Göktürkmen Sheikh Abdullah Dede Ibrahim Karabacak Ferit Masri Ömer Abdullah (Bayırbucak and Turkmen Mountain) |
Syrian Turkmen Brigades, also called the Syrian Turkmen Army, (Turkish: Suriye Türkmen Ordusu/Cephesi) is an informal armed opposition structure of Syrian Turkmens and the military wing of the Syrian Turkmen Assembly, primarily fighting against the Syrian Armed Forces and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).[9] The military structure of Turkmens consists of several free or combined brigades, which are situated around Latakia, Aleppo, Homs, Al-Raqqah, Damascus, Idlib, Hama and Tartus.[10] Syrian Turkmen Brigades are associated with Syrian Turkmen Assembly, and they aim for a democratic Syria, and oppose Syria being divided after the collapse of the Ba'ath led government.[11] In November 2015, Syrian Turkmen Brigades and al-Nusra Front fighters were engaged in heavy fighting against the Syrian government forces supported by the Shiite militias and the Russian air force.[12] Turkmen forces have been the target of heavy Russian bombing in 2015, with reported civilian casualties which have been interpreted as a Russian effort aiming to change the ethnic dynamics of the region.[13][14][15] On November 24, 2015 a Russian Su-24 fighter was shot down by Turkish forces for allegedly violating Turkish airspace, near the Syrian border. The aircraft crashed on Syrian land. The two pilots ejected and were shot at in the air while using their parachutes by the Syrian Turkmen Brigades.[16][17]
Training by the Turkish Special Forces Command
In March 2015, exiled governor of Mosul, Atheel al-Nujaifi, revealed that Turkish Special Forces known as the "Maroon Berets" are training both Iraqi and Syrian Turkmens in a training mission targeted at recapturing ISIL's Mosul stronghold. Nujaifi also said that Turkish authorities had promised to send weapons. Turkish officials later confirmed training camps in Erbil, Mosul and Kirkuk as well as at unrevealed locations inside Syria. They said the training focussed on street clashes, sabotage and intelligence gathering.[18]
On the same day, Iraqi Turkmen Front MP Aydın Maruf declared that an official Turkmen Brigade of the Iraqi army would be created in the near future, starting with 500 men and then growing up to 1500 shortly thereafter for the defense of Tel'afar, Kifri and other major Turkmen settlements from ISIL and also for the planned offense to retake the areas which are currently under ISIL control, like Mosul. He also stated that the brigade from now on would receive official support by the Turkish Armed Forces and that an Iraqi Turkmen commander would be in charge of the brigade in the ongoing fight. This official agreement between ITF, the Iraqi Government and the KRG will be guaranteed officially by the Republic of Turkey. Maruf considered this an important step for the future of Iraqi Turkmens and Turkmeneli.
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Brigades of Turkmen Mountain in Latakia
The Turkmen troops in the province of Latakia are called Brigade of Turkmen Mountain, which provides its soldiers from the Turkmen villages between Hatay borderline and Latakia. The Turkmen troops have fought on the frontline between Alawi villages and Turkmen villages after they were reorganised and commanded by Colonel Muhammad Awad, who takes place in the administration of Free Syrian Army.[19] There are a total of 12 Syrian Turkmen armed units in this region, which are led by the brigades called Nurettin Zengi, Zahir Baybars, Al Huva Billa, Yavuz Sultan Selim, Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, Memduh Colha, Bin Tamime, Katip Al Mustafa, Firsan Tevhid, Sukur ul Turkmen (Turkmen Falcons). Each troop operates in different parts of the province.[20][9] Brigades of Turkmen Mountain are associated with Syrian Turkmen Bloc.
Turkmen Brigades in Aleppo
Turkmen Brigades in Aleppo are associated with the Syrian Democratic Turkmen Movement[21] and are commanded by Ali Basher, who is a Syrian Turkmen from Aleppo.[22] Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, led by Mahmoud Suleiman, controls six Turkmen neighborhoods in central Aleppo. The Zahir Baybars Brigade operates in Jerablus and the Martyr Ali Yılmaz Troop operates in Bab-i Limon, while the Buhari Troop and Imadettin Zengi Troop operate in the district of Manbij. The Alparslan Troop controls several Turkmen villages between Azaz and Jerablus. Sultan Abdulhamid Han Brigade and Yildirim Beyazit Troops also operate in the rural areas of Aleppo.[21] They are also represented in Aleppo through the Sultan Murad Division[23][24]
Turkmen Brigades in Homs
Although Syrian Turkmens have 43 villages in Homs, they do not have a separate central brigade. Instead, they fight along with Arabs in Homs. Turkmens generally take part in the following troops: Homs Shield Battalion, Rahman Martyrs Battalion, Shuheda al Hak, Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, Soldiers of Zara, Alparslan, Homs Turkmens.[25]
Turkmen Brigades in Raqqah
In the province of al-Raqqah, there is a Turkmen troop called Enver ul Hak, which is led by Sheikh Abdullah Dede. Enver ul Hak operates in the areas of Tall Abyad, Ras al-Ayn and surrounding villages.[26]
Turkmen Brigades in Damascus, Idlib, Hama and Tartus
On the other hand, the members of Imam al-Zahabi and Şubat troops in Damascus, the members of Ricalullah Ahrar, Independent Turkmens and Hananu Shield in Idlib, and the members of al-Mitras Troop in Tartus are mainly Turkmen fighters. There is no special troop of Turkmens in Hama, but they generally join troops led by Arabs.[27]
See also
References
- ↑ Turkmen seek key positions in new Syrian cabinet., Asianet, Globalpost, 3 April 2013, quoted: Approximately 10,000 Syrian Turkmen are involved in these brigades.
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/461ehh/participating_groups_in_halab_aleppo_the/
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/archicivilians/status/699486540532162560
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3bwk8d/rebel_and_islamist_groups_form_another_op_room/
- 1 2 "Who are the Turkmen in Syria?". BBC News. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ↑ "Syrian war's al-Qaida affiliate calls for terror attacks in Russia". The Guardian. 13 October 2015.
- ↑ Sami Kohen (26 December 2015). "Suriye Türkmenleri dört cephede savaşıyor (Syrian Turkmen fighting on 4 fronts)". Milliyet. Retrieved 27 December 2015. Statement: "Kurdish people is not our enemy, but PYD and YPG are, because they kicked Turkmen from their homes, burned villages and are currently trying to displace Turkmen and help Assad against them"
- 1 2 3 4 5 ORSAM 2013.
- 1 2 ORSAM 2013, p. 14.
- ↑ Turkmen in joint battle 'for Syria democracy', AFP, 31 Jan 2013
- ↑ Jamestown Foundation, Syrian Turkmen Join Opposition Forces in Pursuit of a New Syrian Identity, 30 May 2013, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/51ac74374.html [accessed 8 August 2013]
- ↑ "After shooting down Russian jet, what's next for Turkey?". Al-Monitor. 26 November 2015.
- ↑ Who Are Syria's Ethnic Turkmen And Why Is Russia Bombing Them? Russian Plane Shot Down Over Turkmen Mountain Region
- ↑ Turkey condemns attack on Syrian Turkmen village, summons Russian envoy
- ↑ Russian raids repeatedly hit Syrian Turkmen areas, Moscow's data shows
- ↑ "Turkey 'shoot down warplane on Syria border'". BBC News. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ "Turkey downing of Russia jet 'stab in the back' - Putin". BBC News. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ Uğur Ergan (16 March 2015). "Turkish military starts training missions in Iraq, Syria". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
- ↑ Suriye Türkmen Ordusu resmi olarak açıklandı, FHA News Agency, 8 August 2012
- ↑ Türkmen Tugayı komutanı AA'ya konuştu, AA, 2 April 2013
- 1 2 ORSAM 2013, p. 15.
- ↑ Turkmens 'draft; sultans into battle, Hurriyet Daily News, 4 August 2012, Aleppo
- ↑ https://twitter.com/archicivilians/status/715590436904157184
- ↑ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aI3yAmNGW1vLpJCOrhiVLqpUUIX9PG1RNsCqJGGfhxI/edit
- ↑ ORSAM 2013, p. 16.
- ↑ ORSAM 2013, p. 17.
- ↑ ORSAM 2013, pp. 17–19.
Bibliography
- ORSAM, ed. (March 2013). "Military Structure of Syrian Turkmens". Syrian Turkmens: Political Movements and Military Structure (PDF). ORSAM–Middle Eastern Turkmen Report. 22 (= ORSAM Report No. 150). Ankara. pp. 14–18. ISBN 978-605-4615-47-6.
