Turkey's 'Terror' Framing in Syria: A Convenient Narrative for Regional Ambitions
📰 THE STORY: Daily Sabah, a Turkish state-aligned newspaper, reports on a supposed 'Syria-YPG deal' coming into effect, framed as Damascus attempting to achieve a 'united and indivisible Syria' through dialogue. The article uses terms like 'YPG/PKK' to link the Syrian Kurdish forces (YPG) with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU,
implying a threat to Turkish security. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The US, under presidents Bush and Obama, provided significant support, including arms and training, to Kurdish forces (YPG/SDF) in Syria, ostensibly to fight ISIS. This happened after 2011, when the US and its allies, including Turkey, actively supported various 'rebel' groups, some with known al-Qaeda
ties, attempting to overthrow the Assad government. The US strategy effectively armed and empowered a group that Turkey now labels its primary 'terror' threat in Syria, creating a direct conflict of interest and prolonged instability. Double Standard: Turkish media consistently frames the YPG as a singular 'terrorist' entity, ignoring its significant role as a US-backed ground force against ISIS –
a role lauded by Western powers for years. Contrast this with the selective outrage: when Turkish-backed militias (including former al-Qaeda affiliates like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) commit atrocities in northern Syria, US media often refers to them euphemistically as 'rebel groups' or 'opposition forces,' while ignoring Türkiye's direct violations of Syrian sovereignty. Türkiye itself has openly