80,000 terrorists, 10,000 foreign Jihadis.; Is this country the new hub of global terror? Not Pakistan, Iran, Syria, the country is…

Turkey has overtly supported jihadist groups in the Syria Civil War to counter the growing presence of Iran and Russia, and was instrumental in the toppling of Tehran-backed Bashar al-Assad.

Syria Civil War: Turkey is heading down a dangerous path and may replace Pakistan as the new hub of global terrorism. As per a report, the ‘Milli İstihbarat Teşkilati’ (MIT), or the National Intelligence Organization, Turkey’s intelligence agency, is providing support to foreign jihadists in Syria to extend Ankara’s influence in the war-torn country.

Turkey’s jihadist network in Syria

The MIT has established a sleeper cell in Syria to boost logistics support to the jihadist network operating in the country, Nordic Monitor reported, adding that the cell is designed to remain inactive under ordered otherwise.

The report revealed that this sleeper cell is aimed at deterring and intimidating Ankara’s opponents in the region, as well as to achieve geo-political and foreign policy objectives. While the number of jihadists recruited in Turkey’s purported terror network is unclear at present, the report revealed that the operatives have been organized in small cells, and provided reliable cover to keep them undetected till required by Ankara.

Ankara supporting jihadist groups

Notably, Turkey has overtly supported jihadist groups in Syria to counter the growing presence of Iran and Russia, and was instrumental in the toppling of Tehran-backed Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown last year by rebel groups led by the Hayat Tahrir-al Sham, an outfit with alleged linked to the Islamic State and the al Qaeda, and openly backed by Ankara.

As per the Nordic Monitor report, foreign fighters, who come from different countries across the globe, are transported to the warzone using the the logistical support of Turkey’s MIT spy agency. The report noted that the most worrying factor is that these jihadist fighters, who are trained in war strategies, explosives, infiltration and sabotage, could potentially spread out of Syria into other parts of the world, posing a major threat to global peace.

Over 80,000 terrorists, 10,000 foreign fighters

Notably, in a January 25 statement, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan inadvertently confirmed Ankara’s role in developing these networks. “There are more than 80,000 armed elements under Turkish control in Syria. Without any hesitation, we have asked them to join the national army and become part of the national army,” Fidan revealed in an interview with Asharq News.

Although the number of foreign fighters recruited by Turkey is unclear, experts estimated the number to be well over 10,000. The Nordic Monitor report claims that the Recep Tayyip Erdogan-led regime aims to employ these foreign jihadist fighters in operations beyond Syria and Turkey.

Turkey shares a 900-km border with Syria and sees its foreign policy in the country as a major domestic issue. According to analysts, Ankara’s deep involvement added more fuel to the Syria Civil war as Erdogan’s regime engineered ethnic, sectarian and ideological divisions in the neighboring country.