Turkey is tightening security at its border with Syria.
A fresco on a barracks building at the Köprübatı checkpoint, which overlooks radical Islamic State movement (ISIL) territory, is emblazoned with the watchwords: “This border is our honour, protected with our hearts and strength.”
The First Border Battalion is responsible for fending off infiltrators, smugglers and ‘terrorists’ along a 6 km stretch. So far this year, they report having captured more than 900 ISIL [Daesh] members, carrying passports from 54 countries, although most of these are Chinese, Russian and Palestinian.
Köprübatı is one of 139 posts along the Syrian border.
Lieutenant Colonel Ahmet Arik told Euronews: “If there is any kind of illegal movement in our area, we intervene. Border troops never permit any unauthorised crossing of our borders, adhering to international agreements and our national code.”
The Turkish Army says it has 30 percent of its land forces deployed for border control.
A more than 80 km-long wall is under construction, to separate Turkey’s Kilis and Gaziantep provinces from the area of Aleppo in Syria.
Colonel Arik said: “To strengthen our border, three-meter high modular wall sections have been erected, and construction is continuing. In this way, we hope to increase effective control of refugee flows and to stop any illegal breach of our borders.”
The EU has pledged €3 billion ($3.25 billion) and promised Ankara political concessions in exchange for stepping up border patrols. That includes the task of controlling the influx of refugees crossing from Syria.
According to Professor Mesut Hakkı Caşın at Özyeğin University in Istanbul: “The wall under construction will reduce the flow of refugees but can’t stop it. Europe put great pressure on Turkey concerning border security, with allegations that foreign fighters were crossing Turkish territory. Turkey is now sending such fighters back to England, France and Germany.”
The US has long called for Turkey to assert control over its border with Syria. Ankara is more willing to do so now that it is seeking NATO support in its row with Russia.
Prof. Caşın said: “Together with the US, Turkey will increase its grip on the border. American F15s and electronic warfare tools have been deployed. Germany has also sent Tornado jets to reinforce the Turkish border.”
Just a few kilometers away from the Köprübatı Border Post lies Jarabulus, a Syrian town under ISIL control. Turkish authorities have declared this a “special security” zone.
Our correspondent Bora Bayraktar summed up: “Turkish military forces are trying to strike a balance between preventing ISIL from infiltrating and controlling and managing refugees, given the humanitarian considerations. Security precautions are gaining increasing importance.”
By Adrian Lancashire
