NOVANEWS
Stray Syrian Shell Sparks More Turkish Retaliation
by Jason Ditz
Turkish forces have once again launched strikes against Syrian territory today after a stray Syrian shell crossed the border, landing in a cotton field and not causing any casualties.
It is the sixth day of cross border firing between Turkey and Syria, with Turkish President Abdullah Gul calling the situation a “worst case scenario” and once again pressing for international intervention in Syria.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has insisted that Turkey does not want war with Syria, but having openly backed the rebels for months and with tensions rising, there is growing concern that the war could quickly spill into southern Turkey.
Experts are warning that Syria is “simply too explosive” for Turkey to attack, and indeed while Turkey has a much larger and more modern military than Syria this is not simply a state versus state conflict, but a regional proxy war that risks exploding across borders.
It is the sixth day of cross border firing between Turkey and Syria, with Turkish President Abdullah Gul calling the situation a “worst case scenario” and once again pressing for international intervention in Syria.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has insisted that Turkey does not want war with Syria, but having openly backed the rebels for months and with tensions rising, there is growing concern that the war could quickly spill into southern Turkey.
Experts are warning that Syria is “simply too explosive” for Turkey to attack, and indeed while Turkey has a much larger and more modern military than Syria this is not simply a state versus state conflict, but a regional proxy war that risks exploding across borders.
