Turkey Deploys Its Fighters Again... This Time in Afghanistan

• 

As the conflict in Afghanistan between the "Taliban" Movement and the Afghan army escalates, Turkey, supported by the US, is trying to take control of Kabul’s airport security after the US and NATO forces withdrawal from the country, but Ankara’s decision was not welcomed by the "Taliban" Movement that expanded its control over vast parts of the Afghan borders.

The "Taliban" Spokesman in Qatar Muhamad Naeem denounced Turkey’s announcement to keep its forces to be in charge of Kabul’s airport security. Furthermore, Naeem confirmed to Al Mayadeen Net that "the presence of foreign forces under any excuse is rejected by our people. All foreign military presence is an occupation and an extension of it, and any foreign military and security presence will be treated as such."

Naeem’s warning came to stress previously issued warnings by the "Taliban" Movement in which it stated that any foreign military presence in the country will be treated as an "enemy and occupation". These warnings came at a time the US initiated its withdrawal from the Asian Country, expected to be finalized on September 11, as US President Joe Biden had announced earlier.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan considered that "securing Afghanistan" after the withdrawal of the foreign forces is Ankara’s responsibility and said, "Turkey is willing to bear more responsibilities in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal."

The "Syrian Observatory" reported that the Turkish Intelligence and leaders of armed groups allegiant to Ankara have reached an agreement on the issue of sending armed groups from northern Syria to Kabul, adding that "the armed groups mission may begin next September and that they will be under the full supervision of the Turkish Intelligence based on official contracts, and their mission will be to protect the Kabul airport and international headquarters, as well as international forces in return for high salaries."

In the event that Turkey goes ahead with sending armed groups to Afghanistan, it would be the third time in less than two years during which Ankara has sent fighters, especially recruits from its allegiant groups deployed in northern Syria, to participate in battles outside its borders. It is worth noting that it has already sent groups to Azerbaijan to fight alongside this country against Armenia during the battles in Nagorno-Karabakh last year.

Armenia confirmed at the time that Turkey sent militants from Syria and Libya to the Nagorno-Karabakh region last October, which also coincides with the assertions of the "Syrian Observatory" which declared that " 25 bodies of Syrian fighters who were killed in the Nagorno-Karabakh battles have arrived in Syria." 

Reports revealed that the number of Syrians transferred to Azerbaijan to take part in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, "amounted to at least 2350 fighters, of whom 320 returned after conceding everything they possess, including their salaries," according to the Syrian Observatory.

Turkey has sent fighters to Libya for a few months before sending them to participate in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Forces sent by Ankara were charged with fighting alongside the Government of National Accord against the forces led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar. The Syrian Observatory revealed that 7850 fighters were sent to Libya, however, Turkey stopped the funding of some groups that refused to send fighters to Libya.

During a meeting with her Turkish counterpart, Mevlut CavuSoglu, earlier in May, the Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs Najla El Mangoush called for "the withdrawal of all foreign fighters and armed groups from Libya."

"Maintaining national security" was the justification Ankara used for its people when it came to sending fighters to Syria, Libya, or Azerbaijan, but this excuse cannot be used in the case of Afghanistan, especially if this intervention will cost Ankara a high military and human price, as the "Taliban" reiterated that any foreign military presence in Afghanistan will be treated as "foreign occupation."