WW3 clash near Manbij Syria.

Cheerful Spring

The top military officials from Russia, Turkey and the U.S. met on Tuesday in a bid to defuse escalating tensions outside a strategic Syrian town.

The meeting follows Turkish threats to attack the northern town of Manbij, which is controlled by Kurdish groups seen by the U.S. as key allies in the fight against Islamic State. The U.S.-led coalition said on Saturday that it had deployed troops outside the town to “deter aggression,” a day after Russia announced that Syrian government forces would be stationed near Manbij.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country seeks a “trilateral mechanism” to clear the area of “terrorist groups.” In Manbij, “the U.S. is raising a flag, Russia is raising a flag nearby, things have turned into a flag competition,” Yildirim said in an interview with ATV television late Monday.

There’s a high risk of a Turkish assault on Manbij, said Anton Lavrov, an independent Russian military expert who follows the Syrian conflict closely. That could provoke a bigger crisis as “both the U.S. and Russia want to maintain the status quo and keep the Kurds in control of the territory they hold.”

Just goes to show how easily a war can start. By reports coming out Trump secretly deployed US forces to the region. But least they are talking to resolve the issue before it ends up messy.

Canis Lupus

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

The top military officials from Russia, Turkey and the U.S. met on Tuesday in a bid to defuse escalating tensions outside a strategic Syrian town.

The meeting follows Turkish threats to attack the northern town of Manbij, which is controlled by Kurdish groups seen by the U.S. as key allies in the fight against Islamic State. The U.S.-led coalition said on Saturday that it had deployed troops outside the town to “deter aggression,” a day after Russia announced that Syrian government forces would be stationed near Manbij.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country seeks a “trilateral mechanism” to clear the area of “terrorist groups.” In Manbij, “the U.S. is raising a flag, Russia is raising a flag nearby, things have turned into a flag competition,” Yildirim said in an interview with ATV television late Monday.

There’s a high risk of a Turkish assault on Manbij, said Anton Lavrov, an independent Russian military expert who follows the Syrian conflict closely. That could provoke a bigger crisis as “both the U.S. and Russia want to maintain the status quo and keep the Kurds in control of the territory they hold.”

Just goes to show how easily a war can start. By reports coming out Trump secretly deployed US forces to the region. But least they are talking to resolve the issue before it ends up messy.

Where's the bit about WW3?

Jack the Stripper

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Where's the bit about WW3?

Don't wear out the f5 key lad.

Canis Lupus

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

Don't wear out the f5 key lad.

I'm sorry I could delete my post so you can say your negative bit. Like. This has been done before or 2/10.

Would that be easier?

Victor

Manbij https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Manbij,+Syria/@36.5294082,36.8371561,8z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x1531aaf40861e571:0x632a18d36ef51a6d!8m2!3d36.5352848!4d37.9678652

Syrian Civil War wiki with map https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Civil_War#/media/File:Syrian_Civil_War_map.svg

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

Just goes to show how easily a war can start.

No suggestion of war or any level of hostilities between any of Russia, Turkey and the USA.

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

By reports coming out Trump secretly deployed US forces to the region.

It's been an open secret for months that the USA has had special forces in Syria - as well as the usual missile and bomb attacks.

https://twitter.com/OIRSpox/status/838044420511510531

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

But least they are talking to resolve the issue before it ends up messy.

I wouldn't be so sure.

Bloomberg wrote:

The U.S.-led coalition said on Saturday that it had deployed troops outside the town to “deter aggression,”

"The U.S.-led coalition" does not necessarily mean US personnel.

Bllomberg wrote:

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his country seeks a “trilateral mechanism” to clear the area of “terrorist groups.”

Turkey has 'interests'. It is more interested in power than getting rid of terrorists. It also wants to hold land so it gets a seat at he big table at the peace conference - to ensure this, it wants to protect its left flank.

Bllomberg wrote:

In Manbij, “the U.S. is raising a flag, Russia is raising a flag nearby, things have turned into a flag competition,” Yildirim said in an interview with ATV television late Monday.

It doesn't say whose flags are being raised. By the map on the wiki page, there are at least 24 points where three sides* faces off against each other. There are thousands of kilometres of front line. There is nothing new.


* There are, of course, more than 3 sides.

gramar

Barry Badrinath

This is a non story.

Look how long it took to take Al-Bab. Manbij is just the next IS foothold to advance on.

Euphraties Shield and Wrath of Euphraties operating in N. Syria who are heavily backed by external governments have been doing well against IS.

The taking of Palmyra last week was a big dent in the IS foothold, an assault on Ar-Raqqa is the next logical step, if Erdogan will be robust enough to go for it.

Ken.

Mod- Turkey is all the way over there. Start a thread when they cross the maginot line.

Locked