Safe Zone in Northern Syria and Turkey

The longer the Syrian crisis lasts, the more complicated the problem becomes. There are now an interwoven cycle of several wars on different fronts and in different geographies, between different actors and within the framework of changing alliances. In such an environment, Syria’s neighboring countries, notably Turkey, make efforts to minimize the security risks originating from Syria. Every country has to concentrate on the developments in their own border region. What Turkey has intensely proposed lately is the establishment of a safe zone on the border line between Azaz and Jarabulus which is under ISIS control. This study examines the reasons behind Turkey’s demand for a safe zone and how the conditions have gradually been matured to establish a safe zone.