Syrian Kurdish leader: Turkey turns blind eye to ISIS

Syrian Kurdish leader: Turkey turns blind eye to ISIS. HT: AlMonitor.

In the interview that follows, Salih Muslim answered Al-Monitor’s questions via Skype:

Al-Monitor: Did Turkey support ISIS in the past?

Muslim: What do you mean in the past? ISIS itself says it gets Turkey’s support. Its media gives details of how they get assistance from Turkey and how their militants reach them via Turkey.

Al-Monitor: In your recent interviews you claimed that if not the government, the “deep state” of Turkey is assisting ISIS. There is a difference.

Muslim: True. The Turkish state denies that it is helping ISIS. Whatever happens, it happens "without our knowledge.” But ISIS contradicts that. For example last week they said, “Two militants joined us through Gaziantep-Karkamis crossing.” I don’t think they would lie. Why should they?

Al-Monitor: Let’s assume that Turkey turns a blind eye to ISIS activities in Turkey. If so, why did ISIS occupy the Turkish consulate and take all of its staff hostage? Isn’t this a contradiction?

Muslim: I don’t know why they did it. Perhaps to assure the hostages' safety. Perhaps they were seized without their knowledge.

Al-Monitor: Without whose knowledge?

Muslim: Some groups within ISIS could have done it without informing the others. For their safety or to blackmail Turkey not to alter its moderate approach to ISIS. It could well be an agreed scenario. There are such possibilities.

Al-Monitor: But Turkey says, “These (things) happen without our knowledge. We don’t support ISIS or any other armed group.” Don't you believe this?

Muslim: No, I don’t.

Al-Monitor: Why not?

Muslim: Let’s assume it is not the official state that is assisting ISIS, but the “deep state” or other elements. In that case, why don’t Turkish officials investigate the evidence, documents and other data we have been providing to them? Why don’t they enter into solidarity with us against ISIS? There are so-called humanitarian relief organizations in Turkey that help ISIS. The Turkish government tells us millions of tourists come to Turkey and they can’t check all [of them] one by one. But we say, “We have proof. Those organizations meet them at the airport, take them to the border and across to Syria.” We have said all this but they don’t take action.

Al-Monitor: In short, are you saying that although Turkey may not be actually helping ISIS, it turns a blind eye to its activities as well as to its supporters in Turkey?

Muslim: Yes, that is what we are saying.

Al-Monitor: Can this war suck in Turkey?

Muslim: Of course it can. Turkey is next door, You won’t know what ISIS has in mind. If they don’t like Muslims in Syria and slaughter them, imagine what they can do to the ones in Turkey.Read the full interview here.

Hmmm......I'm glad someone finally speaks up.

@MuratYetkin2 Turkey exports Kurd - Iraq oil, iraq complains to UN...ISIS heads for the oil fields, Emb staff hostage but OK ...Coincidence?
— MFS - The Other News (@MFS001) June 12, 2014