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Significance

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had signalled strongly that an incursion against the Kurds, whom he regards as terrorists linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey, was on the way. The Russian and Syrian decision to allow Turkish jets to take part, after weeks of behind-the-scenes bargaining between Moscow and Ankara, opens a new phase in the Syrian conflict.

Impacts

Turkish leaders seem to have been deliberately vague about whether troops will enter the town of Afrin.

Turkey and NATO will avoid a breakdown in relations.

Part of the Russian-Turkish understanding will be stepped-up trade and energy links.

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