alternatehistory.com

Ok, so this is my first post on this website. Hello :) I've been reading and watching and checking out this website for the past 4/5 years and this is my first post (I know, daft). But yeah, here is a little piece that I've worked on today.

Please, do comment and criticize this. It isn't anywhere near finished, and I'm going onto study social relations and stuff at Uni, so this whole thing interests me. Cheers!:D

(Also, I wasn't quite sure if I should put this here, or on the Future History bit because it is technically future history, but I thought because maybe it would fit in here. Please correct me if I'm wrong aha)




Syrian-Turkey War of 2013 (August 11th to September 1st)

Prologue

The brief, but bloody war, between the Republic of Turkey and the remnants of the military forces of the Syrian Arab Republic, which occurred in the latter stages of the summer of 2013 was the culmination of years of strained relations, friction and provocation from both sides. With the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad crumbling from internal civil war, and the nation in ruins, it took the smallest spark to ignite tensions.
By the first six months of 2013, Turkey and Syria had clashed numerous times. In June 2012, the Syrian Army mistakenly (or intentionally) shot down Turkish fighter jet, and border clashes erupted in October. In late July, Syrian Arab army units and Turkish troops defending the Tomb of Suleyman Shah led to a three hour fire fight which claimed the lives of ten Turkish soldiers and fifteen Syrian soldiers.
In light of these events, PM Recep Erdogan of Turkey moved for closer and more extensive support of the Syrian opposition, resulting in tensions escalating across the region…

Belligerents

1) Turkish Armed forces, supported by:
i) Syrian National Coalition (including Free Syrian Army, Syrian Islamic Liberation Front,
Ahrar al-Sham)
ii) Covert Qatari support
iii) Limited al-Nuzra support
2) Syrian Arab Army, supported by:
i) Pro-regime groups (Shabiha militia, Popular Liberation Front of Palestine - General Command, Iranian Shiite volunteers, Iraqi Shiite volunteers, Syrian Shiite volunteers, Jaysh al-Sha’bi, National Defense Force.)
ii) Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (including Basij paramilitary group, Quds Force and other groups.)
iii) Hezbollah
3) Kurdish seperatists
i) Kurdish Democratic Union Party (including Popular Protection Units, Kurdish irregular militia)
ii) PKK forces

***
August 9th

02:15 - Intelligence reports citing covert Turkish involvement in the rebel-contested cities of Aleppo and Qamishli come to the attention of Rafiq Shahadah, head of the Military Intelligence Directorate. Shahadah immediately informs al-Assad.

04:27 - al-Assad, at the advice of his military cabal, orders counter espionage operations against the Turkish MÍT operative-backed Free Syrian Army in both cities.

09:00 - President Bashar al-Assad announces on the Syrian State TV that Turkish agents are operating and aiding terrorists within Aleppo. Al-Assad demands the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syrian soil.

10:20 - Pro-government, anti-Turkish rallies are organised in Latakia and Tartus.

12:34 - A string of suicide bombs cripple a suspected Shabiha troop convoy heading for Qamishli, killing seventeen militiamen.

13:00 - Prime Minister Recip Erdogan of Turkey formally denies Syria’s claims.
Anti-Turkish demonstrations and rallies are held across government-held territories in Syria.

15:00 - First specialist Syrian Army units arrive at Aleppo and engage suspected Turkish MÍT operatives. Rebel-held areas repel regime forces, inflicting heavy losses.

16:06 - Two SAAF MiG-23 reconnaissance jets are spotted violating Turkish airspace along the border near Qamishli and Azaz. Turkish F-16 Fighting Falcons are scrambled, but the Syrian jets leave before coming into contact.

17:20 - PM Erdogan announces to the Syrian regime that the Turkish people will not accept territorial intrusions. Anti-Syrian rallies are held in southern Turkish cities.

17:24 - Shootout in Qamishli between rebel FSA and the Syrian Arab Army begins. Regime forces inflict heavy casualties on the rebels.

19:00 - Regime forces driven from central Qamishli by the FSA and supporting covert Turkish forces, who arrive from across the border in heavy numbers.
Fighting continues on the outskirts of Qamishli and Aleppo into the night. The night is lit up with aerial and artillery bombardments.

August 10th

06:00 - Regime forces backed by groups of Shabiha militia attempt to retake central Qamishli. Regime airpower pummels rebel positions. Thousands of civilians are killed in the early morning aerial bombardment.

07:00 - Regime forces are again repelled by rebel forces in Qamishli before even capturing the airport. The regime forces suffer heavy losses. Video footage shows widespread evidence of Turkish paramilitaries.
Reports of desertions and defections are rife in the retreating regime army.

07:15 - Apparent victory celebrations turn violent amongst the rebel groups at the Qamishli Airport. Reports initially suggest the fire fight occurred between fighters of the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) and a yet unknown group, strongly believed to be Turkish MÍT operatives.
Similar situations are reported along the Syrian/Turkish border where Kurdish minorities are in large numbers.

09:00 - SAAF MiGs begin to strafe the central plazas of Qamishli, continuing the bombardment of the previous day. Some bombs fall on the Turkish border crossing. Turkish troops enter Syria to secure the border crossing and establish defensive positions.

10:30 - Sporadic fighting is reported in the Turkish Kurdistan, near the city of Cizre. The 172nd Armoured Brigade, bolstered by elements of the local police, clashes with Kurdish PKK fighters. The fighting lasts throughout the day and well into the night. The previous ceasefire agreement is effectively abandoned.
PKK fighters retreat into northern Iraq and northern Syria, where the Turkish forces pursue them.

11:00 - Elements of the Turkish 7th Corps officially cross the Syrian border and enters the city of Qamishli.

11:20 - Turkish PM Erdogan announces that this is the first in a series of offensives aimed at eliminating anti-Turkish, pro-Kurdish groups in the lawless border region with Syria.

11:45 - Bashar al-Assad addresses the Syrian nation saying ‘…here is the proof all of Syria needs. Foreign invaders are here. They will soon dominate this land. Let us unite and throw them out!’.

12:00 - Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad formally condemns the Turkish violation of Syria’s sovereignty and promises support to the Syrian regime against the Turkish aggression.

12:20 - Turkish anti-insurgency forces based in northern Iraq cross the Syrian border and engage PPU elements near the town of Khanik, which is shelled from Iraqi territory.

13:00 - US President Barack Obama announces his support for the Turkish offensives but urges the Turkish army to prevent civilian casualties.

14:00 - Bashar al-Assad issues another statement demanding the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria.
Anti-Turkish demonstrations occur in Iran and Iraq and across the Middle-East.

18:00 - Syrian regime forces mobilize near the city of Latakia in preparation for a possible attack on Antakya and the Turkish Hatay province.

18:15 - A major bombing attack on the Latakia Naval base seriously disrupts the army mobilization there, killing fifty. Al-Nuzra Front claim responsibility.

19:00 - Regime forces mobilize near the Al Hasakah army base. Supported by armoured and mechanized elements the battle-hardened regime forces await the order to move north.

20:00 - MÍT operatives are ordered to move south and disrupt the advancing Syrian battle group.

21:00 - First reports on news outlets across the world and on video-sharing sites of Turkish Air Force and the SAAF clashing in the skies above north-eastern Syria and even above north-western Iraq. It is clear that this point that a de facto state of war exists between the two states.
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