ISTANBUL — In recent days, Turkey has witnessed a marked intensification of tensions along its 911 km (566 miles) long border with Syria. The tense security conditions underscored once again public fears about the spillover of the Syrian civil war into Turkish territories, and pushed the authorities to make a heavy response against terrorist targets.
Turkey has renewed its widespread efforts against terrorists following the latest massacre committed by a Daesh (the so-called IS) suicide bomber in the southeastern town of Suruc, killing 32 people and wounding 100 others.
Moreover, on Thursday 23, one Turkish soldier was killed and two others were wounded by shots fired from an area in Syria near the Turkish border town of Kilis which is held by Daesh.
In a press statement, the Turkish military announced that they instantly retaliated by destroying Daesh bases across Syrian territory, killing one militant and destroying 3 Daesh vehicles belonging to in these revised rules of engagement.
On the very same day US President Barack Obama and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed in a phone call possible ways of boosting their bilateral cooperation against Daesh, including ensuring Turkey's border security.
In the following days, Turkey carried out several rounds of airstrikes with F-16 warplanes for the first time against Daesh targets, reportedly killing at least 35 militants.
Article 51 of the UN Charter provided a justification for Turkey to conduct airstrikes citing the right to self-defense against an armed attack.
However, the same F-16s also hit on Friday night various training camps and logistic points operated by the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, which especially enraged Turkey's Kurdish minority and is seen as a major blow to the Kurdish peace process in the country.
Kurdish news agencies ANF, DIHA, BasNews, Ozgür Gundem and Rûdaw are also closed in Turkey.
In line with the military measures, Turkey has begun reinforcing border security by deploying additional armored vehicles to patrol the frontier. In line with joint planning of Defense and Interior Ministries, it will start by identifying some critical points of terrorist flow at the border with Syria, and physical blocks will be built to stop illegal crossings.
According to reports, the border security will be further beefed up by stationing wire fences, security lights, unmanned vehicles, aerial mobile armored vehicles, surveillance balloons, and cameras along the border. For the execution of the plan, the Interior Ministry has allegedly allocated about TL 2 billion sum, especially focused on the border provinces of Gaziantep, Kilis, Sanliurfa and Hatay.
After having agreed in principle during talks on early July, Ankara and the United States have also reportedly finalized the deal for the US-led coalition fighting Daesh to station aircraft at the NATO military base of Incirlik in Turkey, although both parties remain cautious about acknowledging the deal publicly. Reports say that the deal awaits the approval of Turkey's cabinet of ministers.
The operations will continue, President Erdogan told reporters on Saturday, while at the very same day Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu gave a press speech saying that those who make Turkey pay a price will be made to pay tenfold. — Al Arabiya News
