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Charles Lister @Charles_Lister
, 7 tweets, 9 min read Read on Twitter
It’s extraordinary just how much BS gets created in people’s minds.

I never once expressed “support” for #Turkey’s #Afrin operation.

- Did I say it was inevitable? Yes.
- Did I observe it & comment on its advance vis-a-vis broader #Syria dynamics (i.e. my job)? Yes.
My critique has always been about the imbalance/s created in northern #Syria by U.S. counter-#ISIS policy.

The #YPG was/is the #PKK - all U.S. officials admit that in private. That didn’t necessarily have to preclude working with them, but ignoring it caused big, big problems.
#pt: As an analyst of terrorist groups, I did see a certain irony & short-sightedness in the words of one top, serving U.S. official, “allying with a terrorist group (#PKK) to fight another terrorist group (#ISIS).”

It’s got nothing to do with any position on #Kurds, whatsoever.
#pts: For more on where I’m coming from on all of this (#YPG, #PKK, #Turkey, U.S. counter-#ISIS strategy etc.), see this thread:

Unless you're violently anti-#Turkey & glorify the #PKK’s sociopolitical vision as an ideal for all to aim towards, one somehow acquires the “anti-#Kurd” label.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Critiquing a relationship with #YPG is *not* in any way being anti-#Kurdish.
For the record - from the #PYD’s own website (deleted in '13):

- “The #PYD declares… the KONGRA GEL" as the supreme legislative authority of the people of #Kurdistan. [The #PYD] incorporates into the… #KCK…”

(#KCK = the #PKK’s political umbrella]

web.archive.org/web/2013011912…
There you have it - the #YPG/#PYD/#SDF’s political front, the Syrian Democratic Council, has said it’s ready for “unconditional” talks with the #Assad regime.

dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-Ea…
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Related hashtags

#Turkey #Afrin #Syria #ISIS #YPG #PKK #pt #Kurds #pts #Kurd #Kurdish #PYD #Kurdistan #KCK #SDF #Assad

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There is a possibility of an announcement today. That’s if the collective U.S. government is unable to push back against #Trump - as it did earlier in the year after his comments in #Ohio.

More than anything, this is an extraordinary insult to the recent efforts of Amb. Jeffrey.
#pt: #Trump told #Turkey’s #Erdogan of his intentions by phone on Friday last week.

Coming in the context of Turkish threats to intervene in NE #Syria, the message to the #YPG/#SDF couldn’t be any worse. The US will abandon “the Kurds” again, if #Trump gets his way here.
#pt: Worse still, this’ll be music to the ears of #ISIS, #Assad, #Russia & #Iran.

#Trump isn’t only doing what #Obama did in leaving #Iraq prematurely, he’s doing it in an environment in which #America’s adversaries will benefit: jihadis, #Iran and #Russia.

Unbelievable hubris.
Read 10 tweets
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My goodness: here's a prime example of policy advocacy on #Syria based either on ignorance, or [hopefully not] malign intent.

This is *riddled* with inaccuracy & misinformation.

@steelejourno says the West should force an opposition surrender in #Syria:

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
@steelejourno #pt: @steelejourno says the US, UK & #France are “less honorable” in seeking to delay #Syria & #Russia’s “success” in regaining territory.

- They seek to enable a meaningful political process, in which there’s an opposition entity to sit at the table. I’d say that is honorable.
@steelejourno #pt: Here, @steelejourno says UK, US, France & "Gulf Arab monarchies” want ceasefires to protect rebels, not civilians.

In #Idlib, nothing could be further from the truth. None of those countries have *any* ties to rebel groups in #Idlib, who only equal ~0.5% of the population.
Read 10 tweets
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Absolutely extraordinary.

#Syria’s air defense systems have no way to determine “friend” from “foe.” #Russia doesn’t export that tech.

Within a complex & unpredictable environment, that raises the risk to civilian aircraft
significantly.
#Israel says #Syria’s air defense fired “dozens” of anti-aircraft missiles from several batteries across the country over the space of 40-mins… *after* #IAF planes had returned to #Israel.

One took down #Russia’s IL-20.

timesofisrael.com/syria-fired-mi…
To me, this looks like messaging more than a truly dramatic change in reality/dynamics:

- S-300s already deployed in #Syria.

- #Israel (& US) uses encrypted radar/GPS; less vulnerable to counter-measures

- #Russia has been “jamming” for 2+ yrs.

- #Israel fires most from Med.
Read 5 tweets

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Shop keeper I spoke to from Afrin. "I fled from Aleppo to Afrin. Then (after Turkey took #Afrin) everything was stolen and I lost everything and had to flee again. I want to go to Holland. Help me. There is no future in Syria"
Another civilian from Afrin claimed Turkish army is not doing anything to stop looting and stealing by groups. They just want Kurds to leave. Moreover regime dont allow Kurds from Afrin to go Aleppo. So if they want to go Aleppo they have to pay FSA groups to bring them Manbij
Than from Manbij to Qamishli. Than fly from Qamishli to Damascus and then go Aleppo. Only rich people can afford this.
Read 5 tweets
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#Khashoggi Case Thread: I am going to ‘pin’ this post to use it as an ‘Info Thread’ on the #Khashoggi Case. I am in #Turkey. I’ve been following the case closely and with access to sources & experts here. This is a very ‘sensitive’ criminal case due to ‘Diplomatic Booby Traps’!!!
The Evidence Obtained Outside Cameras will not show any evidence of ‘tempering’ but other than license plates of dozens of diplomatic cars (Many with tinted windows-large trunks) with related time stamp, drivers Info, model/year: Nothing.
#Turkish Intel-Investigative Bodies also have the list of all Diplomatic & Private Saudi & “other significant’ Planes in #Turkey for the period of ‘interest.’ Many of the Target airports have their own security cameras & related evidence.
Read 335 tweets
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Over 110 killed of #Turkey proxy and #YPG today following fierce clashes on the borders of #Afrin enclave when the Turkish forces failed to make any serious advance. However, this is the largest number of casualties in one day for #Kurds.
The Syrian Army received instructions to allow #Kurds to transit from and to #Afrin through its controlled area without any restrictions or control during the "Olive Branch" Turkish ops.
The Syrian government gave instructions to all hospitals to receive as a priority any casualties among #Kurds due to Turkish "Olive Branch" military ops against #Afrin
Read 4 tweets
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The #SDF had denied Turkish reports that the border town of #Reyhanlı was shelled by #YPG, stating two days ago: "We have nothing to do in shelling [of Reyhanlı] civilian settlements. We never target the territory outside of our borders."
#Afrin fact thread of before Turkey's 'Operation Olive Branch'

This is Afrin on July 2017, the biggest pro-#SDF rally which was carried out against #Turkish assaults on the canton. Arab tribal leaders also joined.
On the other hand, the Yazidi Union in the #Afrin Canton had declared their 'endless' support for the Northern Syria Federation Project. #Yazidis inhabit 21 villages in the area of Turkey's operation led with the FSA. @YazdaOrg raised risks of ethnic cleansing and persecution.
Read 7 tweets
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A #thread on Turkey’s #Afrin offensive.
This aggression is indirectly connected to #IranProtests because #Russia and Iran are using Turkey for their own interests and Iran in particular wants to silence and weaken its domestic unrest.
Last year when I was in Moscow I told a Syrian Kurdish representative in Moscow that the Kurds must be very careful about Russians as Putin will try to weaken the Kurds in Syria soon. I suggested that she analyses Moscow’s move and report to their HQ in #Rojava.
However, she responded negatively and she accused me of being paranoid. It was then when I wrote this
fairobserver.com/region/middle_…
piece for @myfairobserver and highlighted a few issues including:
Read 22 tweets
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#Afrin Offensive about to oppose:
- Turkish Army (#TSK) & National Army (ex-#EuphratesShield, mainly #FSA)
- People/Women's Protection Units (#YPG/J) + allies & #Syria|n Democratic Forces (#SDF)
#Afrin Offensive: following weeks of #TSK reinforcements near border with #Syria but also in Syria itself (N. #Aleppo & N. #Idlib), #FSA-led National Army started also to mobilize. Multiple convoys moving.
#Pt. National Army (incl. #FSA 23rd Division) preparing for #Afrin Offensive (#AfrinOp) near border with #Turkey.
Read 243 tweets

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