‘PKK card’ tests Turkish-Syrian relations, experts say

With Turkey appearing at the forefront of discussions over international intervention in Syria -- particularly regarding the implementation of a humanitarian corridor in order to bring help to civilians who are trapped in besieged cities-- the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is one of the key elements in a puzzle that could radically change Turkey’s stance towards the tumultuous country.


The unfolding Syrian puzzle, which has continued for over a year, poses complicated challenges for Turkey stemming not only from humanitarian concerns over the unabated violence carried out by Syria’s Baath regime but also signs of the growing PKK presence in northern Syria, which are fuelling uncertainty over the future of relations between the two countries.

Needless to say, Turkey may undertake pre-emptive measures by creating a buffer-zone in Syria to avert the flow of refugees across its borders if the humanitarian crisis reaches an unmanageable level.

In addition to such a possibility, another force has arisen that could push Turkey into changing its course of action: The Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK).

Facing a battle of survival, experts have noted the Baath regime is likely to attempt any measures possible to prevent or delay its collapse with regard to a possible foreign military intervention. For this reason, according to some observers Syria may begin to play “the PKK card” against its northern neighbor if Turkey is seen to take the lead in a possible military operation against the stricken country.

On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu touched upon the case and issued an open warning to Damascus, saying that Turkey would deploy troops in Syria to protect its national security. Pointing out that every option is open for discussion, Davutoğlu signaled that the government would seek authorization from Parliament to send Turkish troops over the border if it is deemed necessary to prevent the PKK crossing into Turkish territory.

A report appeared in Today’s Zaman on Wednesday that addressed the growing PKK influence in northern Syria’s current power vacuum. However, the question arises: What is the nature of the PKK presence in Syria? Would Syria give a free-hand to the PKK to do whatever it wants? To what extent will it turn a blind-eye to PKK operations in the North?

“The fact is that the presence of armed PKK groups has become visible and obvious in Syria, particularly near the Turkish border near the southern regions of Gaziantep and Kahramanmaraş. This is real. Nobody can deny that, but the Turkish authorities seem unaware of the seriousness of the situation,” said Gökhan Bacık, an international relations professor and director of the Middle East Research Center (MESRC) at Gaziantep Zirve University, in remarks to Today’s Zaman made earlier in the week.

Bacık argued that Syria is unlikely let PKK groups use its borders to attack Turkey for the time being, in order to avoid giving Turkey a reason to intervene. But, he added, the PKK is not a monolithic structure and is not controllable and therefore nobody is sure what course of action they will choose to take. He noted that Turkey would only act if the PKK staged a series of attacks against Turkey from across the Syrian border.

Fikret Ertan, a columnist in Zaman daily, said that in the event of such a scenario it would be easier for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to launch a military campaign against PKK forces in northern Syria due to the topography of the region, which is tactically favorable to the mountainous nature of Turkey’s southeast and northern Iraq.

“If the PKK dared to stage attacks against military posts along the Syrian border, any potential Turkish response would be made easier, considering the conventional superiority of the Turkish military and, in particular, the favorable geography of the region,” Ertan said.

In line with Bacık, Soli Ozel, an international relations scholar at İstanbul-based Kadir Has University, told Today’s Zaman that Syria may refrain from openly using the PKK as a trump card. Beyond that, he said Turkey may face difficulties in justifying its actions if it intervenes in Syria unilaterally and with no intention of assisting the Syrian people. “If Turkey intervenes solely to fight against the PKK and not to help the people of Idlib, Homs and other places, needless to say it would be difficult to justify this course of action, not only to the international community but also to the Syrian people,” he said.