The Communist daily Morning Star is hardly a reliable source. However, there is nothing unbelievable about this report. Turkey’s support for the Islamic State in its heyday was obvious in numerous ways. Back in 2015, in my book The Complete Infidel’s Guide to ISIS, I noted that Erdogan was aiding the Islamic State in the ultimate hope of co-opting its caliphate and making it part of his own revived Ottoman caliphate. Even though the Islamic State has lost its domains in Iraq and Syria, Erdogan has not given up on that hope. His connections to the Islamic State should be investigated, with Turkey’s alliance with the U.S. and NATO membership on this line.
“Senior Isis commander alleges Turkey’s President ordered 2014 attack on Kobane,” by Steve Sweeney, Morning Star, October 30, 2019 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
TURKEY’S authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered the deadly 2014 jihadist attack on Kobane in northern Syria, a senior Isis commander alleged today.
Taha Abdurrahim Abdullah, a close confidant of Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi – who died earlier this week – was captured by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces militia alliance in March this year.
He told his captors Mr Erdogan had insisted that Isis attack the largely Kurdish border town in northern Syria in September 2014, despite the jihadists’ reluctance.
“We [Isis] were preparing war, but our goal was to move to Damascus, not Kobane,” he claimed under interrogation.
“[Former Isis leader] Baghdadi wanted Kobane to be attacked. We objected to this situation. But he refused. We suffered heavy losses in Kobane.
“Later, we learned that the reason why Bagdadi turned our direction to Kobane overnight was the insistence of the Turks. The Turks wanted to attack Kobane. Erdogan insisted,” Mr Abdullah alleged.
The jihadists captured around 350 largely Kurdish villages surrounding Kobane during the offensive, causing some 300,000 people to flee for their lives, and also conquered some districts of the town.
A six-month siege followed, with Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) putting up fierce resistance.
The YPG lifted the siege in January 2015 and retook control of the villages by mid March, helped by US air strikes.
However, around 70 per cent of Kobane was destroyed in the battle.
Mr Abdullah also claimed that the slain Isis leader’s replacement was chosen for his close links to the Turkish state.
Abdullah Qardas, also known as Haci Abdullah, was announced as the new Isis leader following Mr Baghdadi’s death.
Saying that Mr Qardas also calls himself “Ebu Omer Turkmeni,” Mr Abdullah claimed: “He uses this name to appease the Turkish state and to deepen his relations with them.”…
CogitoErgoSum says
Erdogan reminds me of a used car salesman in that jacket of his in the picture.
Dr. Strangelove says
Yes! I was reminded of the old poster of Nixon with the caption, Would you buy a used car from this man?”
Lotus says
Yes, he will surely win ‘Bad Jacket of the Year’ award, 2019. 🙂
gravenimage says
Leftist daily: Islamic State commander says Erdogan ordered 2014 ISIS attack in northern Syria
……………
Yes–I would not necessarily trust that source overall; but this is entirely plausible.
Angemon says
My thoughts exactly.
StacyGirl says
Interestingly, a colleague in Istanbul has suspected Erdogan has been in league with ISIS and like operatives for years. (Recall the Jewish bakery massacre in France where the Jihadi’s girlfriend was allowed safe passage through Turkey?) But I asked, “The news is always reporting that Erdogan’s government arrests ISIS and their sympathizers…?” Prisons are full of Erdogan’s enemies-political prisoners, journalists, and various types. The charge is always terrorism or the like. Right now there are literally tens of thousands is prisoners in Turkey with these charges and no trials. When my friend lived in Iran I’m told the charges were homosexuality and voila- execution. The man is pure evil.
Lotus says
Does anyone still read the Morning Star?!
Apparently it has a circulation of about 10,000 these days. The glory days are obviously gone.
https://www.newstatesman.com/2015/07/red-all-over-article
James Lincoln says
So why is Turkey still in NATO???
Infidel says
NATO doesn’t have a mechanism to expel anyone. However, the US should withdraw from NATO and terminate any alliance w/ Turkey. And pull everything, including all nukes, out of Incirlik
James Lincoln says
Infidel,
You are correct. When NATO was formed at the outset of the Cold War in 1949 no mechanism was put in place to oust recalcitrant members. It seemed obvious to the 11 original members that they were all “upright nations” pursing the same goals and values…
But things can change, and things have certainly changed in Turkey in regards to Islamization.
Yes, the US withdrawing from NATO and terminating any alliance with Turkey is a good option. And, of course, pulling all the nukes out of Incirlik…
Jayell says
If that’s the case then everyone should withdraw from NATO and form another club – without Turkey. Seems to be the only logical solution?
J D S p says
No doubt that Turkey’s hands are dirty…….Turkey surely should be kicked out of NATO .BUT WON’ T BE supposedly an Ali to the U.S….Who needs an Ali like that.
Infidel says
Actually, all members will have the chance to re-assess their membership of such an alliance. The US now has different interests – containing China. We need to focus on the Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific region – and have a new alliance club w/ Japan, South Korea, Taiwan(!), Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Bhutan. We can’t afford to keep babysitting Europe some 30 years after the end of the Cold War. Russia – even Putin’s Russia – ain’t what the USSR was under Brezhnev
gravenimage says
Hugh Fitzgerald is asking this same question, James:
“Why Is Turkey Still In NATO?”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2019/11/why-is-turkey-still-in-nato
Lion Heart says
If a Muslim is a piece of gold , don’t put it in your pocket otherwise it will rip through “ that’s hundreds of years proverb said by Iraqi Christian ancestors out of their bitter experience with Islam since its rise ! meaning they will betray nonmuslims especially Christians when they get the chance and become strong enough
mortimer says
LH, my personal experience with Eastern Christians is that, yes, they know the behavior of Muslims from experience. However, they are about as ignorant of Islamic doctrines as Western people. This is quite disappointing. Many Western Christians who are in the counterjihad still know virtually noting of Islam’s ‘essential’ doctrines.
Yohanan says
More parallels with the raid against Bin Laden in Pakistan. Pakistan and Turkey appear complicit in not divulging Bin Laden’s and Baghdadi’s hideouts. Neither Pakistan or Turkey were informed of raids…
https://www.france24.com/en/20191029-us-secrecy-on-baghdadi-raid-exposes-distrust-of-nato-ally-turkey
Beneath the Veil of Consciousness says
All the reports cited above just points out, once again, that the Islamic world is a snake pit full of vipers.
mortimer says
It would be m more sensible for ISIS to take Damascus, one of the most prestigious of caliphatal cities. This report is highly credible.
Infidel says
Raqqa was the medieval capital of Caliph Harun al Rashid, one of the most famous caliphs of that era (thanks to the Arabian Nights and Sindbad the sailor). It was a pretty prestigious city for ISIS to hold
Damascus would have been impossible to capture, given that the Alawites were always strong both in Damascus and Ladakiya: they only lost temporarily in Aleppo and Homs
somehistory says
As for the ‘source’ of the report, even a stopped clock is right twice a day, so it is not impossible that this is true. And, in fact, everything that has been going on since isis arose, points to turkey.
There were reports early on that weapons and supplies were being sent from turkey to isis.
turkey allowed wounded and sick isis members to go there and be treated and return to the battlegrounds.
So many moslims that left the U.S., Britain, Australia, and elsewhere, traveled to turkey and then on to wherever isis was known to be in control and fighting.
erodgan never threatened isis the way he has threatened everyone else…to destroy them, or to open the floodgates and let the hordes flood in to swamp the governments, which would only help isis in its war to take territory..
And as Mr. Spencer wrote, erdogan has wanted to be caliph from the beginning.
Much like a large company will swallow up smaller ones, erdogan as president of a large country with a well-equipped military could swallow isis by first helping them with supplies, medical care, etc,, and then by taking over completely when the time is right.
It is no surprise that he has been pulling the strings and using them as a satellite for his own evil goals of taking over other countries.
underbed cat says
So Turkey aiding the U.S. raid on Bagdadi was also for his benefit? Did this upset Prince Solomon , who was the Saud seen in the picture with al Bagdadi in the picture of him sitting cross legged. Curious.