Just a few weeks ago many analysts and observers were sceptical about reports of Turkey's transferring units of its Syrian National Army (SNA) proxies to Nagorno Karabakh, even more so because Turkish officials denied any such claims. However, as evidence of massive casualties among the Syrian mercenaries continues to mount, there is little space left for doubt: SNA fighters have become cannon fodder in the Turkish operation in support of Azerbaijan.
The
first batch of bodies of those Syrians who perished in Nagorno Karabakh
counted over 50 people, according to messages and videos that went
viral on opposition WhatsApp and Telegram channels. Among the dead who
were delivered to Syria over Hiwar Kilis border crossing and were given a
hasted burial were men from Aleppo, Idlib, Homs and other regions of Syria. Many of their relatives, like families of Muhammad Shaalan from Atareb and Kinan Ferzat from Maarat al-Nuuman, were shocked to learn about their death.
Just
like the majority of the Syrians who travelled to Nagorno Karabakh,
Muhammad and Firzat were primarily motivated by lucrative rewards of up
to 2,000 dollars promised by Turkey. "I came here to make money and
have a better life back in Syria where the living conditions are
miserable. I consider this a job, nothing else," a member of Liwa Sultan
Murad, one of the first SNA factions to deploy its fighters to the
contested region, told Guardian.
The
reason behind heavy casualties of the Syrian mercenaries is that they
are thrown into action where the clashes are the most violent, including
Jabrayil, Terter, Fizulin and Talysh. This move allows Azerbaijan to
keep its military, who mainly provide air support including operating
Turkey-made Bayraktar TB2 UAVs and coordinate artillery and missile strikes of the Armenian positions, out of direct contact with the enemy.
The estimates of the numbers of the Syrian mercenaries present in Nagorno Karabakh are wildly different. While initial reports put their number at 500 men, it is currently believed that the actual number may be in thousands. This data indicates that at least 10 percent of the fighters were killed during the very first days of the escalation - a serious alarm for the mercenaries as well as their Turkish backers.
These developments must ring a bell for Azerbaijan as well. The longer the conflict protracts, the higher the risk of casualties among the Azeri servicemen becomes, who have already suffered losses in Armenian retaliation strikes. Baku has managed to avoid discontent among the military as well as the civilian populace - not least thanks to the Syrian mercenaries crushed as cannon fodder - but this can not continue for long.
