10-08-2019, 11:54 AM
** 08-Oct-2019 World View: ISIS prisoners of Syria's Kurds become political pawn
President Trump's announcement that American troops would stand aside
when Turkish troops invade Syria to establish a buffer zone or "safe
zone" has highlighted the importance of the ISIS prisoners that are
being guarded by Kurdish soldiers in prison camps.
Reports are varying about the size of the problem. The number of ISIS
fighters being held is between 10,000 and 20,000, according to
different reports. The number of family members is around 50-60,000.
They are being guarded by 75,000 Kurdish soldiers in prison camps.
Most of the ISIS fighters are Iraqis and Syrians.
A few hundred of the ISIS fighters came from Britain, France, Germany
and other European countries. Turkey claims that it will take
responsibility for all the prisoners, but it's far from clear that
they're capable of doing so, even if they really want to.
Donald Trump says that he repeatedly asked the European countries to
repatriate their own citizens, and try them in courts in their own
countries. However, they have repeatedly refused and, according to
Trump, they have told him to take responsibility for all the ISIS
prisoners, and move them to Guantánamo Bay prison, at American
taxpayer expense, which Trump is refusing to do.
So that sets up the issues.
Top Kurdish General Mazloum Kobani Abdi is saying that, because of the
expected Turkish invasion, Kurdish troops are being evacuated from
guarding the ISIS prisoners, and are being redeployed to the border
with Turkey.
One analyst suggested that the Kurds might hire the ISIS fighters and
pay them to fight against the Turks.
It's feared that in the chaos of a Turkish invasion, all Kurdish
prison guards will be redeployed. This would leave the ISIS fighters
free to go anywhere -- to return to Europe, or regroup in Syria.
The Kurds themselves, who say they have been abandoned and betrayed by
the Americans, may form their own alliances with Russia or with
Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
Trump's decision was not a total withdrawal from Syria, but only a
redeployment of 50-100 soldiers at observation posts to other places
in Syria, so that they won't be caught in the crossfire between Turks
and Kurds. There are political pressures to reverse even this
decision, but that would not stop a Turkish invasion, but would only
put the American soldiers in the crossfire.
---- Sources:
-- General Mazloum Kobani Abdi / Top Kurdish general: Watching over
ISIS prisoners now a 'second priority'
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/top...y-n1063496
(NBCNews, 7-Oct-2019)
-- British Isis fighters in Syria 'may be freed if US allows Turkey
invasion'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/o...-to-invade
(Guardian, London, 7-Oct-2019)
-- Trump's shock Syria retreat reverberates as Turkish troops mass
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/o...-uncertain
(Guardian, London, 8-Oct-2019)
---- Related article:
** 8-Oct-19 World View -- Turkey poised to invade Syria to set up 'safe zone'
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e191008
President Trump's announcement that American troops would stand aside
when Turkish troops invade Syria to establish a buffer zone or "safe
zone" has highlighted the importance of the ISIS prisoners that are
being guarded by Kurdish soldiers in prison camps.
Reports are varying about the size of the problem. The number of ISIS
fighters being held is between 10,000 and 20,000, according to
different reports. The number of family members is around 50-60,000.
They are being guarded by 75,000 Kurdish soldiers in prison camps.
Most of the ISIS fighters are Iraqis and Syrians.
A few hundred of the ISIS fighters came from Britain, France, Germany
and other European countries. Turkey claims that it will take
responsibility for all the prisoners, but it's far from clear that
they're capable of doing so, even if they really want to.
Donald Trump says that he repeatedly asked the European countries to
repatriate their own citizens, and try them in courts in their own
countries. However, they have repeatedly refused and, according to
Trump, they have told him to take responsibility for all the ISIS
prisoners, and move them to Guantánamo Bay prison, at American
taxpayer expense, which Trump is refusing to do.
So that sets up the issues.
Top Kurdish General Mazloum Kobani Abdi is saying that, because of the
expected Turkish invasion, Kurdish troops are being evacuated from
guarding the ISIS prisoners, and are being redeployed to the border
with Turkey.
One analyst suggested that the Kurds might hire the ISIS fighters and
pay them to fight against the Turks.
It's feared that in the chaos of a Turkish invasion, all Kurdish
prison guards will be redeployed. This would leave the ISIS fighters
free to go anywhere -- to return to Europe, or regroup in Syria.
The Kurds themselves, who say they have been abandoned and betrayed by
the Americans, may form their own alliances with Russia or with
Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
Trump's decision was not a total withdrawal from Syria, but only a
redeployment of 50-100 soldiers at observation posts to other places
in Syria, so that they won't be caught in the crossfire between Turks
and Kurds. There are political pressures to reverse even this
decision, but that would not stop a Turkish invasion, but would only
put the American soldiers in the crossfire.
---- Sources:
-- General Mazloum Kobani Abdi / Top Kurdish general: Watching over
ISIS prisoners now a 'second priority'
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/top...y-n1063496
(NBCNews, 7-Oct-2019)
-- British Isis fighters in Syria 'may be freed if US allows Turkey
invasion'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/o...-to-invade
(Guardian, London, 7-Oct-2019)
-- Trump's shock Syria retreat reverberates as Turkish troops mass
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/o...-uncertain
(Guardian, London, 8-Oct-2019)
---- Related article:
** 8-Oct-19 World View -- Turkey poised to invade Syria to set up 'safe zone'
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e191008
