REPORT Operation OLIVE BRANCH OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH Operation OLIVE BRANCH 3 OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH © TRT WORLD RESEARCH CENTRE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PUBLISHER TRT WORLD RESEARCH CENTRE APRIL 2018 Contributers Alpaslan Oğuz Muhammed Lütfi Türkcan Ozan Ahmet Çetin Edebali Murat Akca Aruuke Uran Kyzy Pınar Tankır Hakan Şirin Özgür Dikmen Görkem Dirik Design Erhan Ağırgöl Photo Credit Anadolu Agency TRT WORLD ISTANBUL AHMET ADNAN SAYGUN STREET NO:83 34347 ULUS, BEŞİKTAŞ İSTANBUL / TURKEY TRT WORLD LONDON PORTLAND HOUSE 4 GREAT PORTLAND STREET NO:4 LONDON / UNITED KINGDOM TRT WORLD WASHINGTON D.C. 1620 I STREET NW, 10TH FLOOR, SUITE 1000, 20006 WASHINGTON DC / UNITED STATES www.trtworld.com researchcentre.trtworld.com 4 OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH CONTENTS 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 INTRODUCTION MULTIPLE NAMES, ONE ORGANISATION: 12 THE PKK, PYD and YPG 22 US’ SUPPORT TO THE PYD/YPG 25 TURKEY’S MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN AFRIN 34 WHAT IS NEXT? 36 BIBLIOGRAPHY 5 OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch • The machine guns, MANPADS and even to clear terrorist groups from its borders. anti-tank weapons provided by the US This report demonstrates the link that to the PYD/YPG are used against Turkish exists between the PKK and PYD/YPG, the forces, and many more weapons have been implications of the US support to PYD/YPG discovered in the ammunition shelters of and Turkey’s military involvement in Afrin. the PYD/YPG in and around the city of Afrin. For the existing link between PKK and • The main reason behind the US support PYD/YPG, the report demonstrates that; towards the PYD/YPG arises from the US • The PYD was established in 2003 upon policy of having a proxy group instead of a direct order from the PKK’s imprisoned its own military on the ground to realise its founder, Abdullah Öcalan. own interests. • The PYD/YPG are taking orders directly For the reasons of Turkey’s involvement in from the PKK’s ruling elite in the Qandil Afrin, the report demonstrates; Mountains in Iraq. • The foremost objective of Turkey’s ongoing military operation is to annihilate • Thousands of YPG militants fought for the the terrorism threat that Turkey is facing at PKK previously, with some of its members its southern border with Syria. even fighting for both organisations at the same time. • Turkey views any attempt that strengthens the PKK’s existence in the region as a • These groups follow the same ideology, security threat to its homeland and people. which is evident from the textbooks discovered in the teaching centres of the • Turkey considers the city of Afrin as a PYD/YPG in Syria. hub for the PKK and its Syrian offshoot PYD/ YPG to transfer militants and ammunition For the US support to the PYD/YPG, the through the Amanos Mountains at the report demonstrates that; border. • Despite the obvious acceptance of the existing link between the PKK and PYD/ YPG by high-level US officials, such as former Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter, the US still does not officially recognise the PYD/YPG as a terrorist organisation. 6 OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH INTRODUCTION Turkey officially announced the start of its alongside their recent cross-border long-expected military operation to clear operations such as the Euphrates Shield terrorist units from the town of Afrin in and Idlib operations. Timely information northwest Syria on January 20, 2018. Within sharing with its allies, transparency and two months, the town centre of Afrin was the aforementioned factors have enhanced cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists as Turkish Turkey’s operational capability and precision Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army Forces in targeting terrorists. declared victory on March 18. This report elaborates the importance of An official statement released by the Turkish Turkey’s military operation in the northern Armed Forces laid out the objective and scope Syrian town of Afrin, named Operation Olive of the operation. According to this statement, Branch. Firstly, the report provides a detailed Operation Olive Branch aims to neutralise outline of Turkey’s strategic aims in Afrin as terrorist organisations such as the PKK/KCK/ well as the necessity of the operation from PYD/YPG and Daesh in the Afrin region to a state perspective in eradicating terrorist provide security and stability across Turkey’s threats from the country’s southern border. border as well as in the region. Additionally, This is done by giving a detailed overview of it aims to save the people of the region from the operation, as well as highlighting its main oppression and persecution as well as creating objectives. Secondly, it provides a timeline a passage of safe return, so that displaced of events leading up to the launch of the Syrians can return home. It is also stated in operation, in that it gives a historical account the announcement that the operation is being of how the conflict between the PKK and carried out under the framework of rights Turkey has posed severe security challenges appointed to Turkey by the United Nations. for the Turkish state. These rights are based on international law, the UN Security Council resolutions, and Thirdly, the report offers a comprehensive Turkey's right to use all necessary force to analysis on how organisations such as the defend its territorial integrity under Article PKK and PYD/YPG pose grave security threats 51 of the UN charter with respect to Syria’s to the Turkish Republic and its citizens, and territorial sovereignty.1 thus bringing to light Turkey’s security and humanitarian concerns. Fourthly, it exposes Despite the misinformation about the the link that exists between the PKK and operation in different media outlets, careful PYD/YPG and as such, uncover how these precautions have been taken to avoid organisations have relentlessly targeted harming civilians. The Turkish Armed innocent civilians and security personnel over Forces have attempted to diminish the risk the course of many years. Fifthly, it aims to of inflicting damage upon civilians during bare the US’s strategy to support PYD/YPG at the operation. They have done so by relying the expense of alienating its long-term NATO on its well-trained and experienced military ally, Turkey. Finally, it will provide an in-depth personnel who have successfully fought explanation regarding the conclusion of the against the PKK for almost 40 years, as well as Operation Olive Branch and its prospects for their participation in the UN peace-building the future in trying to rebuild and restore civil processes in Kosovo and Afghanistan; life in Afrin. 7 OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH Timeline of the Events Leading up to Operation Olive Branch July 2011 September 18/19, 2014 What started as peaceful pro-democracy The US Congress approved the Obama protests turned into a violent confrontation administration’s request to arm groups in between the Syrian regime and the Syria to fight against Daesh.5 opposition groups. It caused a civil war rendering the region unstable and September 10, 2015 vulnerable to the emergence of terrorist An attack from Afrin killed a Turkish soldier groups. in the Cilvegözü border gate. July 19, 2011 October 11, 2015 The armed wing of the PYD was established The SDF, largely made up of YPG members, and began operating under the name of was established. YPG. March 13, 2016 July 25, 2012 A blast in the Turkey's capital of Ankara The Syrian regime decided to withdraw its killed 34 people. TAK, a sub branch of PKK, armed forces from the five cities in northern claimed responsibility for the attack. It was Syria, which caused the region to fall under revealed that the bomber was trained by the control of PKK cadres.2 YPG in Syria.6 January 2014 March 17, 2016 PYD declared three northern districts of The PYD declared the so-called “Syria’s Syria, Afrin, Jazira, and Kobani, as self- Kurdish Federation.” autonomous cantons across the Turkish border with Syria.3 March 22, 2016 The so-called PYD federation government January 21, 2014 claimed the Shahba region in Syria as a new PYD declared a provincial government in canton. northern Syria, which covers almost half of the Turkish-Syrian border.4 8 OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH May 1, 2016 March 22, 2017 A car bomb attack against a police centre A sniper, residing from Afrin, shoots a in Gaziantep killed 2 people and injured 18 Turkish soldier in Reyhanlı, a district of others. It was later revealed that the attacker Hatay.8 originated from Afrin. May 30, 2017 August 26, 2016 The US began providing heavy weaponry Turkey launched the Operation Euphrates directly to the PYD/YPG at the outset of the Shield. assault in Raqqa, Syria. December 10, 2016 January 13, 2018 A terrorist attack in the Beşiktaş district of The US announced its plans to form a 30 İstanbul, targeting security officials and thousand-strong “Border Security Force” in citizens at the end of a football match, killed northern Syria under the command of the 46 people, and injured 243 others. The PYD/YPG. bomber was trained by the PYD/YPG.7 January 20, 2018 Operation Olive Branch begins. Situation in Syria before the Operation Olive Branch Source: liveuamap Source: Syria.liveuamap 9 OPERATION OLIVE BRANCH Source: Burak Milli / Anadolu Agency The Overview of the Operation Operation Olive Branch is the continuation offensives - was the tipping point for Turkey of Turkey’s previous military operation in to start a military operation. Syria, Operation Euphrates Shield, notable for clearing the Daesh terrorist organisation Operation Olive Branch has inflicted heavy from the cities of Jarabulus, Azaz and al- damage to the PYD/YPG and PKK terrorists.