afrinpost – Exclusive
In a mysterious move, the Turkish army has completely evacuated some of its military points in the Jindires district, leaving behind only a contingent of fighters from the Syrian National Army militia. This development raises questions about its underlying motives.
According to private source, the Turkish army started evacuating military points in the Jindires district a week ago, removing both equipment and soldiers. The military presence now consists solely of militants from affiliated militias. The evacuation encompassed the historical site of Tell Jindires, located south of the city, where concrete walls and remaining equipment were dismantled. Additionally, three other points around the villages of Satia, Marwaniya, and Haji Hasan, all part of the Jindires district, were cleared.
No changes have been observed in other Turkish military points in regions like Sherawa, Sharan, Bulbul, Rajo, Mobata, and central Afrin.
It’s worth noting that the Turkish army had previously evacuated two military bases in the villages of Tell Rifaat and Kakhreh simultaneously in March 2021. Also, on October 25, 2020, a military base in Al-Feel street, Al-Ashrafieh neighborhood in the city of Afrin, was vacated.
The evacuation of the military base situated on the Jindires hill comes after years of organized looting of the archaeological site and excavation activities. The Turkish army had established a high concrete wall around the hill, covering an area of 2 hectares, and erected a military base on top. Local residents were prevented from approaching the hill, and strict surveillance measures, including cameras, were put in place. In May 2019, extensive excavation and the construction of a road leading to the top of the hill were carried out, using it as a landing site for drones.
The Turkish army seized control of the site on March 8, 2018, just ten days before reaching the center of the region. During the Turkish offensive on the Kurdish region, most of the houses around the archaeological hill were destroyed.
The evacuation of some military points may be interpreted as a redeployment operation for the Turkish forces to achieve military and security objectives. However, this does not alter the military occupation reality in the region, as Turkey continues to control all aspects of military, civilian, security, and even economic administration through its representatives in each circle. Furthermore, the “MIT” Turkish Intelligence Agency has centers in each district and in the region.
This move coincides with the convening of the 21st round of the Astana meetings on January 24, 2024. The agenda, including the closing statement, was pre-determined, focusing on the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and discussing the situation in Idlib.
The Jindires district and its villages serve as the western gateway to Afrin, bordering the Idlib province controlled by “Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham,” designated as a terrorist organization. Therefore, any military change in the Jindires district would be linked to the situation in Idlib.
It is known that the “Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham” has intervened several times in occupied Afrin, allying with the militias of Suleiman Shah/Al-Amshat and Al-Hamzat to expel the “Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya” militia from Afrin. It pursued them as far as the village of Kafr Jannah. Under the pretext of tribal assistance, the organization reached the front lines in the Jarabulus area. It is allied with the “Ahrar Al-Sham Islamic Movement” and the “Shahba Gathering” militia.
Therefore, this evacuation of the military base on the Jindires hill might be a preliminary step for a forthcoming field change.
