France Building Military Bases In Syria
The use of proxy forces to destroy the secular government of Syria is now starting to give way to stealth methods of direct ground deployment of Western Special Forces and ground troops under the guise of assistance and coordination with “moderate” terrorists.
With a wide variety of Western-backed terrorist groups ranging from “extremist” terrorists like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and al-Nusra to the “moderate” terrorists of the FSA and the loose collection of terrorists, Kurds, and Arabs like the SDF, the West has a kaleidoscope of proxy forces on the ground already. This is, of course, in addition to the SAA, NDF, Iraqi paramilitary forces/militias, Iranian military forces, and Hezbollah fighters working with the Syrian government.
Yet, even as Syria’s military clashes with the Wests’ proxies, the United States, Britain, and France have begun moving in Special Forces soldiers to assist in the mission of destroying the Syrian government, a mission that Israeli, Jordanian, and Turkish officers have joined in as well. That is, of course, despite the fact that Russian Special Forces are on the ground fighting on the side of the Syrian military.
Likewise, both the United States and Russia are busy building military bases in the northern regions of Syria to use as staging grounds for new operations.
Into this context come recent reports from Russian media citing Kurdish sources that the French are now attempting to establish military bases in Aleppo province.
According to the source, cited by Sputnik, French forces stationed in northern Syria have already begun construction on a military base near Ayn al-Arab (Kobane) in Aleppo province.
“The French have begun constructing a military base similar to the US military bases… French experts and military advisers working in the region will be stationed there,” the source said.
The source also reported that the U.S., UK, and French “experts” are stationed in Manbij, the sight of a fierce battle between Kurdish-dominated SDF and ISIS forces.
Political analyst and former Deputy Foreign Minister of the “Kobani canton,” Idriss Nassen, told Sputnik that not only were the French forces in Manbij attempting to build a base but were tasked with training and support of the SDF alongside U.S. soldiers.
“French soldiers arrived in Kobani along with US troops to take part in liberating Manbij. They are primarily tasked with coordinating airstrikes of the [US-led] coalition, consulting and providing training to Manbij’s Military council and the Syrian Democratic Forces,” he said.
“France also intends to build a military base in Kobani. However, contrary to earlier reports, construction works will not take place at the Mistenur hill. The facility will instead be located to the south of Kobani,” Nassen added.
Nassen claimed “In addition, this area is not suitable for building a base due to security reasons. The French forces have been stationed at a cement factory to the south of Kobani.”
Manbij is a strategically significant location because it serves as virtually the last link between the northern border region and Raqqa, the ISIS capitol that the Syrian military currently has in its sights. If the NATO powers are able to seize (by virtue of their SDF proxies military gaining control via a process of death squad herding or by simply assuming power) and establish control over Manbij, it will serve as an opportunity to keep the ISIS supply lines open to Raqqa.
