MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA A Turkish View of the Wagner Group in Syria

OE Watch Commentary: The Wagner Group is a Source: “Rusya uzmanları Putin’in paralı askerleri olan Wagner Grubu’nu Russian private military company that has played a anlattı (Russian experts talked about Putin’s mercenaries of Wagner Group),” role in Russian operations in Syria. While the Russian Haberturk, 26 February 2018. http://www.haberturk.com/wagner-grubu-nedir- Government has not yet officially acknowledged the rusya-uzmanlari-putinin-parali-askerleri-olan-wagner-grubu-nu-anlatti-1853055 existence of this paramilitary group, it gained attention The Russian media refers to the group as a paramilitary unit equipped with on 7 February when personnel from the company carried heavy weapons and armored vehicles, but without officially acknowledging out an attack on Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in it. However, it is believed that it operates under the directives of the Russian Deir Ezzor. The accompanying excerpted article from Ministry of Defense. Then why doesn’t this paramilitary unit officially exist? the Turkish newspaper Haberturk reports on the Wagner Professor at Moscow State University Kerim Has provided Nalan Koçak from Group and it provides some insight into the Turkish the Habertürk newspaper with answers: “Private paramilitary companies in perspective of its activities in Syria. The article notes Russia are prohibited by law. However, the Kremlin allows its citizens to work several things about the group, but it only provides as mercenaries abroad. Knowingly they [the Kremlin] create legal loopholes. information that has been published in a number of other However, these mercenaries are not allowed to work inside the country. These media outlets around the world. Despite actively engaging mercenaries first appeared in Ukraine as Slavic paramilitary units. Later, in the Syrian civil war, the Turkish government has not around 2015 these paramilitary units formed the Wagner Group. I want to made any comments on the presence of the Russian point out that this information has not been officially confirmed by [Russian mercenaries in Syria. End OE Watch Commentary Government].” (Gunduz) “Private paramilitary companies in Russia are prohibited by law. However, the Kremlin allows its citizens to work as mercenaries abroad.”

Battle of Khasham, Hatched box shows location of clashes. Source: By Derived from work by MrPenguin20, Kami88, and others - Based on https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2014_Eastern_Syria_offensive.svg, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66281280. OE Watch | April 2018 19