Turkey’s interests in the Syrian war: from neo-Ottomanism to counterinsurgency

Abstract

ABSTRACTWith the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011, Turkey quickly embroiled itself in the conflict by supporting, arming and funding armed militants against the Syrian government. The paper contends that the Turkish leadership found the Syrian war was an opportunity to engage in territorial expansionism. What was not envisaged however was the rise of the Kurdish YPG, the Syrian branch of the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers’ Party, who are recognized by Ankara as a terrorist organization. The rise of the YPG directly threatens the sovereignty of Syria and portends to establish a Kurdish state right on the border of Turkey’s Kurdish-majority eastern Anatolia where autonomous and secessionists movements are strong. This has effectively meant that Turkey’s Syria policy went from one of neo-Ottomanism to counterinsurgency as they attempt to defeat the Kurdish secessionist movement in Syria.