Turkey - One Eye on Mosul and One Eye on Aleppo
December 3, 2024, 12:47 pm

Turkey - One Eye on Mosul and One Eye on Aleppo

قهرمان مرعان آغا

Mosul is located at latitude 36.35, while Aleppo's coordinates are 36.20 concerning the southern Turkish political border. A glance at the map shows that they lie on a theoretical straight line. Turkey considers these areas its vital space since its formation as a state of contention regarding geography and demographics. It justifies its actions by claiming the need to protect its national security and the necessity of establishing a safe zone for itself. However, in reality, it has effectively governed these regions and openly admits to having severed the Kurdish corridor toward the Mediterranean Sea, overlooking the warm waters from the citadel of Sultan Al-Nasir Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi atop the mountain.

**Turkey's Eye on Mosul:**
Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent distribution of its territories according to the (Sevres Treaty/1920), which deprived the Kurdish people of their rights, culminating in the (Lausanne Treaty/1923) and the establishment of Kemalist Turkey (the Republic of Turkey) with its current political borders, the issue of Mosul has been part of its persuasion tactics with England and France, which were mandated over Syria and Iraq. After the detachment of the (Iskenderun Province - Hatay) and the last border demarcation with Syria in 1937, Turkey's other eye fell on Aleppo.

Thus, when ISIS militants captured Mosul on June 10, 2014, the Iraqis were taken aback by the size of the Turkish consulate in the city and the number of its personnel, given the logistical connection between both sides. The establishment of the Turkish military base in Bashiqa (Zilkan base) nearby was merely an encroaching intervention beyond its borders, justifying its alleged historical right in Mosul and its surroundings. Notably, ISIS never approached this base, neither closely nor from afar.

**Turkey's Eye on Aleppo:**
On the other hand, when the Russian bombardment and siege intensified on western Aleppo, and since Turkey was completely subjected to Russian dictates following the downing of the Russian Sukhoi 24 airplane on November 24, 2015, negotiations began between both sides at the expense of Syrian blood. Consequently, western Aleppo fell, and the regime and its supporting militias seized most areas of Aleppo and its countryside in December 2016. This was followed by mutual benefits in the Astana rounds (2017 edition/1 - 2024 edition/24). Concurrently with U.S. President Trump's term, Turkey managed to resolve its vision of Aleppo from afar by occupying the Kurdish Afrin region (Spring 2018) and continuing with the secret occupation of Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad (2019). We found ourselves face-to-face with shifting terrains directly affecting the Kurdish presence in the natural and demographic geography of Syria.

As is common, the proof is in the outcomes. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Turkey has managed to act pragmatically in most directions despite the economic and political crises (2016 coup) it faced. Despite American and European sanctions, its airports and ports became platforms to circumvent international sanctions against both Russia and Iran. Finally, despite the Turkish president’s pleas to meet the regime's leader, Turkey managed to tilt the balance in its favor by leveraging the changes in the region after October 7, 2024, following the war in Gaza and Lebanon.

Turkey's reputation has sunk to a new low concerning the Syrian opposition in the areas controlled by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly al-Nusra) in Idlib province, due to the Russian and regime aerial bombardment throughout the Astana process discussions. Turkish army positions in the so-called de-escalation zones have faced humiliation due to regime attacks while remaining guardians to prevent clashes. It seems that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham has transcended Turkish dictates and executed its threat to invade regime-controlled areas at an unagreed-upon timing. There is no doubt that Turkey, with its army, intelligence, military and civilian institutions, and its mercenaries from the Syrian National Army loyal to the Syrian coalition, completely holds the file in northern Syria. However, this does not equate to some factions feeling liberated from their grasp.

The causes of the systemic collapse of the regime and its allies are known: the situation in Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon, as well as Russia's weakness due to the war in Ukraine. U.S. President Biden's statement following the Russian missile attack on Ukraine emphasized that aiding Ukraine has become more urgent. Therefore, the Americans and Europeans saw an opportunity to weaken Moscow in Syria, holding the regime and its allies accountable for delaying a political solution to the Syrian crisis while procrastinating more than the regime itself regarding its existence.

I believe the return of refugees and displaced persons, whether from Turkey or within Syria, will exacerbate the crises due to the collapse of infrastructure in most Syrian cities and rural areas.

Ghahraman Maraan Agha

Winners of the ICCROM-Sharjah Award for Good Practices The Middle East on the Brink of Major Developments!

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.