As declared in the UN Security Council Resolution 2170, “terrorism can only be defeated by a sustained and comprehensive approach involving the active participation and collaboration of all States… which is why our first priority is to encourage others to join in this important endeavor.” Within this light, the Global Coalition, against DAESH/ISIL was founded in September 2014 with the purposes of stabilizing liberated areas, countering Daesh’s propaganda, triggering military progress of partner countries to eradicate DAESH/ISIL, preventing the movement of Foreign Terrorist Fighters as well as tackling Daesh’s financing and funding. In this regard, the coalition, with the significant partnership of Turkey, attaches importance to combat the devastating military activities of DAESH/ISIL and the flow of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF).
Particularly Iraq and Syria are suffered by this terrorist organization. Turkey follows the two because of its geographic position. Thus, the two countries are attached importance by Turkey. Stabilization in Iraq and Syria, where providing territorial unity is the utmost purpose of Turkey’s policy towards the Middle East region, is the main responsibility to provide a safe zone for the civilians. Internally displaced people (IDP) in Iraq and Syria are among the world’s most vulnerable people because these people, unlike refugees, have not crossed an international border to find a shelter. They have remained inside their home countries as a result of the instability and chaos in their hometown or Daesh-controlled areas. In this regard, Turkey’s main purpose, also adopted by the Global Coalition Against Daesh, is to provide a safe and secure place for those people to return back their hometown. Therefore, Turkey conducts humanitarian norms dominating its policy on Syrian and Iraq, and gives a priority to the safety of civilians.
The coalition, with the significant partnership of Turkey, particularly targets to combat military activities of Daesh and to prevent mobilization of foreign terrorist fighters in the region. In this regard, Turkey, having a terror corridor on its border with Syria, determines to destroy threats rooted by Daesh. Under these conditions, Turkey launched military operations to neutralize terrorist organizations such as the PKK/KCK/ PYD/YPG and Daesh and to provide security and stability across Turkey’s border as well as in the region. These operations liberated the region from the terrorist organization, provided a secure place for the return of the displaced people. Hence, steadily increasing number of Syrians living in Turkey began returning back.
Although Turkey’s utmost effort and willingness to eradicate the threat, the immoral policies implemented in Syria by the other countries may escalate tension and instability. In this regard, the more international actors participated in the combat Daesh, the more brutal terror activities take place. Thus, the countries, particularly Turkey, have to face with more asylum seekers and refugees as a result of devastating effect in Syria. The international platform has to find a determined solution for this threat, which is a contagious agent of a cancer cell to the rest of the body. In this regard, Turkey is especially under a serious threat because of its proximity and not having a buffer with Syria which is the reason of Turkey’s great effort to vanish the region from this terrorist organization in order to provide its own security and a safe country for its own citizens.
Turkey is a country which have never accepted a terrorist corridor on its border and an instable neighbor country in its region. In this regard, Turkey reiterates its willingness to establish a safe zone at the United Nations General Assembly. Under the conditions mentioned above, combat Daesh and degrade this threat is the prominent goal and national priority of Turkey’s security policy. Turkey, at the forefront of the fight against Daesh, has contributed to increase the Global Coalition’s efficiency through the following endeavors:
- Since the internal conflict broke out in Syria in 2011, Turkey has been constantly delivering humanitarian aid to the Syrian and Iraqi people fleeing their hometown because of Daesh threat and living in Turkey.
- As an active member of the Global Coalition since its inception, Turkey has contributed to its military planning, such as “Operation Inherent Resolve” which is the US military operational name for the military intervention to Daesh. It is also hosting “Train and Equip” programming.
- Under the title of anti-DEASH coalition, Turkey is co-chairing Counter ISIL Coalition Working Group on Foreign Terrorist Fighters (WGFTF) mainly focusing on supporting and encouraging actions that straightforwardly backing Coalition efforts to eliminate DEASH in Syria and Iraq.
- Turkey supports air operations conducted against Daesh in Syria and Iraq through allowing its aircraft to be used by the Coalition partners and the US and opening its facilities as well as deploying its personnel.
- In terms of military operations against Daesh, the Coalition is responsible; however, the military action is not the only action the partners of the Global Coalition are taking now. In this regard, the Global Coalition, particularly Turkey, realizes that not only should partners defeat the military power of Daesh, but they also should defeat the ideology to lead the global flow of foreign fighters and radicalized jihadists across the world. Thus, Turkey, as a significant partner in the Global Coalition, conducts the media policy and organize the academic conferences to increase the awareness against Daesh ideology. In order to prevent financing of Daesh, Turkey assumes the co-chair role in FATF, significant responsibility in the Working Group typology project on Daesh as well as Working Group on counter financing. Turkish Financial Intelligence Unit (MASAK), moreover, cooperates with other Financial Intelligence Units.
- Turkey suffers oil smuggling, as the finance resource of Daesh along its south-eastern borders. Turkish Government, as a partner of the Global Coalition, has been actively fighting oil smuggling and the use of smuggled oil in gas stations all around the country through inspections and enhanced legislation, in particular since the beginning of the 2000s. In this regard, Turkey adopted the Anti-Smuggling Law in 2003 and amended in the following years.
- Turkey has a broad mechanism to stop the flow of Foreign Terrorist Fighters. It is continuously enhancing policy and security measures to intercept these terrorists at the airports and border crossing places through establishing Risk Analysis Units.
- Turkey reinforces security measures along its Syrian border through establishing “Syrian border physical security system”, including the construction of 192 kilometers of wall.
TURKEY'S FIGHT AGAINST DAESH/ISIL 