Joint efforts to fight against terrorism effectively among countries in the Middle East have proven difficult as they lack mutual trust among each other, say analysts in the region.
Saudi Arabia has enhanced domestic anti-terrorism campaigns and security measures after it suffered many suicide bomb attacks in 2015. But as for airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria, Saudi Arabia cannot stand with Iran as it believes that Iran aims to help consolidate the power of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. That is a big divergence between the two countries as Saudi Arabia insists that Bashar step down.
Iranian expert Mohammad Hasan Khani said the Syrian government is part of its anti-Israel allies, so Iran cannot allow its ally to fall apart. Khani added that Saudi Arabia is in no position to criticize Iran as it has not taken anti-terrorism seriously considering its own interest.
“One of them is what I call blind rivalry with Iran. I mean they want to weaken the Iranian position by any means,” Mohammad Hasan Khani, a professor of international relations at the Imam Sadegh University in Tehran.
“The other reason is that maybe for some ideological issues. These groups are somehow inspired by the teachings of Salafism and Wahabbism,” he added.
Except for Saudi Arabia and Iran, Turkey has played an important role in fighting against terrorist groups in the Middle East. It joined the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in July, but experts say its real target is the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) instead of IS militants.
“If the conflict calms down, we will be faced with the remnance of the conflict, which will be turned back to Turkey and the PKK organization, which is not good for Turkey,” said Haldun Yalcinkay, head of the international relations department at the TOBB Economics and Technology University in Ankara.
Since September 2014, the U.S.-led international coalition has been conducting airstrikes in Syria without the approval of Damascus, as its members have insisted on the ouster of Assad from the political settlement process in the war-torn country.
But the United States is trying to exclude Iran from the group for a more simple reason. If Shiite power broker Iran were present, Sunni power broker Saudi Arabia would bolt. So would other Sunni states that provide crucial regional backing for what might otherwise smack of another unilateral U.S. military intervention in the Middle East.
Russia started its own airstrike campaign against IS militants and other terrorist groups in Syria on Sept. 30 following a request by Assad. Relations between Moscow and Ankara worsened dramatically after Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Turkish-Syrian border in late November for alleged violation of its air space.
Experts point out support for different forces in Iraq and Syria not only deteriorates the war-torn countries but also provides hotbeds for extremism and terrorism. As countries strengthen their military presence in the Middle East, frequent incidents cannot be avoided.
“This is why extremist groups can spread not only in Iraq and Syria but also Libya in north Africa, Mali and southern and central Africa. They are not only in Africa, but also in Europe, America and even all over the world,” said Dr. Khalid A Abdelsattar, an instructor at the Baghdad Political Science College in Iraq. (Reuters)