ONE MAN IN THE FIELD

Turkey, which was wary of direct involvement in regional conflicts raging around it in recent decades, has entered into large-scale fighting on two fronts - against the terrorist organizations "Islamic State" (IS) and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Taking into account the complex geopolitical upheavals in the Middle East marked by the open involvement of major powers of the East and West, it can be said that the fraternal country is living through one of the most crucial stages in its recent history. Indeed, not only the present but also the future of Turkey is at stake, as well as its statehood and territorial integrity.

The situation in Turkey and its entire foreign policy strategy were literally exploded by a terrorist attack in Suruc that killed 32 people. The responsibility for this heinous crime was assumed by the militant group "Islamic State" which already controls large areas of Iraq and Syria. Ankara's response was not long in coming: Turkish air forces launched airstrikes on positions of terrorists in a number of occupied areas in Syria - for the first time since the beginning of military operations of the international coalition against the IS. At the same time, Turkey has allowed the United States to use the Incirlik Air Base for strikes against IS bases at the Syrian border. From this, it follows that Turkey has actually become part of the US-led international coalition that aims to eliminate the terrorist Islamic State.

However, Ankara's military saga was not to be limited to a retaliatory strike against the IS. After months of truce, PKK terrorists seeking the establishment of Kurdish autonomy in the south-eastern regions of Turkey have once again drawn attention to themselves. The militants have committed a series of deadly attacks on representatives of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies of Turkey, in particular, in the provinces of Erzurum, Van and Mus. Ankara had no other choice but to retaliate against Kurdish terrorists trying to test the strength of Turkey in a situation where the country was actually at war with the IS. Turkish fighter jets attacked Kurdish militant camps in northern Iraq. In addition, as reported by the media, armoured thrusts were launched on the positions of Kurdish People's Defence Units in Syria.

However, while Ankara's military activity against the IS has been approved by its Western allies, strikes on the positions of Kurdish terrorists have caused a generally disapproving reaction in the United States and the European Union. This is not surprising, given that the West, in implementing its long-term strategy aimed at a thorough geopolitical reshaping of the entire Middle East, places one of its biggest stakes in the Kurdish movement. Therefore, the protection by Ankara of its legitimate interests in the Kurdish issue is not met with adequate understanding in the West. Even Turkey's military actions against the IS are seen by many in the West as a cover for the struggle against Kurdish militia groups.

Ankara's position on the Kurdish issue really goes beyond a purely Turkish dimension. With the support of the West, a Kurdish autonomous region has been created and operates in northern Iraq. A similar scenario is being realized in the Kurdish inhabited areas of Syria, particularly because the Kurds are viewed as a striking force in the fight against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (as at the time when they were assigned a special role in the overthrow of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein). However, the creation of the second Kurdish autonomy will send a clear signal to Kurdish separatist organizations in Turkey. Of course, Ankara cannot accept such a scenario that is actively being promoted by Western powers.

It was in an effort to achieve understanding and obtain at least the political support of its Western allies that Turkey initiated the convening of an emergency meeting of permanent representatives of the NATO member countries in Brussels. Ankara had hoped both for the North Atlantic Alliance to agree to provide it with effective support in combating the Islamic State (in any case, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the allies to become more involved in military operations against the IS) and for the recognition of its legitimate right to suppress the Kurdish terrorism. However, NATO made it clear that Turkey was not going to receive the expected support in the war against the IS. According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, NATO welcomed Turkey's efforts to counter the IS, but was confident that the Turkish authorities had enough of their own resources.

Secondly, the Alliance was rather sceptical about Ankara's military operations against the PKK. Western leaders warned the Turkish authorities against further escalation of the conflict with the Kurds. In particular, the NATO Secretary General criticized Turkey's opening of the "second front" against terrorists, the Turkish list of which was topped by the notorious PKK. Germany, too, strongly condemned the Turkish military operation against Kurdish terrorists.

In this context, it is noteworthy that NATO has dissociated itself from Turkey's initiative to create a "security (or buffer) zone" along the Turkey-Syria border. Ankara insists on the necessity of this measure because it could "ensure the safety of civilians in the area of military operations and reduce the flow of refugees to Turkey". According to Erdogan, the creation of a "security zone" in northern Syria can play an important role in ousting IS militants and will allow 1.7 million refugees who moved from Syria to Turkey to return home. However, the West views the Turkish initiative as Ankara's intention to carve up mainly Kurdish-populated regions of Syria, which will make it impossible to create a second Kurdish autonomy.

Essentially, Turkey has received a clear message from the NATO allies that they will not support its actions aimed at the implementation of Turkish and not purely Western interests. The Alliance would like to see the Turkish policy exclusively following in the wake of the geostrategy carried out by Washington and Brussels. But Ankara is determined to continue its anti-terrorist strikes. President Erdogan said that Turkey would continue military operations against the Islamic State and Kurdish extremists. As regards the latter, he stressed the impossibility of negotiating with those who "commit assaults on our national unity and brotherhood".

It is beyond any doubts that these forces will try to continue their efforts to further destabilize the situation in Turkey, which makes it ever more imperative to mobilize the enormous potential of the Turkish people who will certainly live through the current troubled times in a dignified manner.