Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has been secretly backing Islamist groups in Syria, including the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia, in a bid to expand Turkey’s influence in the war-torn country.

According to sources, Ankara’s ultimate goal is to establish a “security zone” in northern Syria, which would allow Turkey to relocate millions of Syrian refugees currently living in Turkey.

The Turkish government’s support for HTS, a group formerly allied with Al-Qaeda, has raised eyebrows among the international community. The US has designated HTS as a terrorist organization since 2018.

Despite this, Erdoğan’s government has been providing military assistance to HTS, enabling them to make significant gains against the Assad regime.

Human rights groups have accused Turkish forces of committing war crimes in Kurdish-controlled areas, including kidnappings, plundering, torture, and sexual violence.

As the situation in Syria continues to unfold, Erdoğan’s gambit is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the region.