Insight Turkey
Insight Turkey
Challenging ideas
On Turkish politics and International affairs

Author

Ömer Yılmaz

Ministry of Internal Affairs, Turkey
Ömer Yılmaz
Turkey’s Buffer Zone in Northern Syria and Its Impact on Irregular Migration
March 28, 2022
ABSTRACT This commentary examines Ankara’s ‘safe zones’ in Northern Syria, as well as elaborating on whether creating safe zones in response to the war in Syria and the subsequent humanitarian catastrophe was a choice or a requirement for Ankara in terms of irregular migration and border security. Turkey has declared multiple safe zones within Syria’s borders, using its right to self-defense under international law, to battle terrorist organizations that have taken advantage of the rising authority vacuum on Syrian land to put Turkish borders and nationals in danger. After an examination of the critical turning points in the Syrian civil war, the paper proposes that the safe zones serve three preemptive and prospective functions by providing a safe haven for the civilian population, by paving a step forward in the counter-terrorism campaign, and attempts to stop irregular migration and finally, by allowing Syrians to return to their homeland.

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