Bolstering Turkish presence in Syria |Turkish forces establish tribal councils in “Olive Branch” areas

Aleppo province: Turkish forces are continuing their demographic change in Afrin, changing the demographics of the region, establishing a fully supportive enabling environment, and creating Kurdish and Arab tribal councils in Afrin, including collaborators and proxies to consolidate and bolster their presence in areas controlled by Turkish forces in Syria.

In this context, SOHR activists have reported that, during the past months, Turkish forces had established the “Kurdish and Arab Tribal Council” in Afrin that include elected figures affiliated with Kurdish National Council and former Kurdish officers who were dissidents from Syrian regime’s security forces.

According to Syrian Observatory activists, Turkish forces in “Olive Branch” areas established, during the past months, six Kurdish tribal councils headed by a former officer who lives in European country and known by his initials as M. S.

Turkish forces appointed and elected members of Kurdish National Council and other affiliated figures, as chiefs in these six councils.

Syrian Observatory activists have also reported that Turkish forces held an online meeting in “Musako” village in Raju district, chaired by the former officer known as M.S. and with the participation of members of Kurdish National Council and Turkish proxies. In this meeting, the members had agreed on forming Kurdish Tribal Council and appointing the dissident officer “M. S. as president of this council.

It was also agreed to establish six other Turkish affiliated councils in each of Afrin’s districts, and the council are created in “Al-Havidi,” “Rashwan,” “Bayan,” “AlShaykhan,” “Amka” and “Shakak.”

It is worth noting that, since entering Afrin, Turkish forces have established several entities and councils loyal to them, such as Association of Independent Syrian Kurds and Afrin Civil Council, which was formed in Europe and is headed by a man known by his initials as A. k., and local councils formed in the villages and suburbs of Afrin, all of which serve Turkish interests and agendas in Syria and expand and boost their presence and influence across Syria.