The ISIS march

As Ankara nurses severe political differences with the regime in Damascus, it has not been able to coordinate its plans to work jointly against the ISIS. 

Damascus has finally voiced its concern over the rise of ISIS. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al Moualem — after maintaining silence for a long time — has remarked said that the United States-led air strikes have failed to weaken the ISIS militants. His comments are, however, subject to debate, but the point is that the dreaded militia is on the move and poses serious security issues to at least three countries in the region, namely: Iraq, Syria and Turkey. This is not to say that the ISIS will restrict itself to these territories, as it eyes Saudi Arabia and other Muslim states as well in its endeavour to propagate its own brand of ideology.

What Moualem has hinted is that even after two months of air strikes, not much has changed on the ground. Washington and London flew over 300 sorties and were instrumental in halting the ISIS on the outskirts of Kobane bordering Turkey in northern Syria. The problem is that there is little coordination between two major stakeholders in the region, i.e., Turkey and Syria. As Ankara nurses severe political differences with the regime in Damascus, it has not been able to coordinate its plans to work jointly against the ISIS.

Turkey wants a no-fly zone over Syria and ouster of President Bashar Al Assad for any meaningful cooperation with the West. Moualem, nevertheless, believes that until and unless Turkey enforces a complete ban on influx of people across its frontiers, the menace of ISIS couldn’t be contained. What is needed is instant cooperation by putting aside political differences to defeat the ISIS. Khaleej Times

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