The Turkish army has established a new base in the area of Jabal Al-Akrad near Syria’s northern city of Latakia, the Middle East Monitor reported on Monday, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
According to the Rai Al-Youm website, the new base is intended to undermine the Syrian army’s move towards the district around Latakia. The exact number of Turkish bases in northern Syria is unknown.
Turkish sources reported by Rai Al-Youm said the army has set up a central military leadership for its forces serving in Syria centered on Antioch. The leadership is tasked with administering Syrian territory controlled by Turkey and protecting the Syrian people who have been under heavy attacks by regime forces. The news website believes this step might be the first move in the annexation of the region by Turkey.
The UAE-based newspaper claimed that Turkey did not respect the Turkish-Russian agreement related to the de-escalation of tension in the north of Syria signed in March of this year. The government of the UAE is said to be working against Turkey on a number of different fronts.