Russian engineers and soldiers are said to be in Qamishlo to modify the civilian Kamishly Airport into an air base. Giving Russia not only a second air base in Syria (the other of course being their main operational hub in the western coastal province of Latakia) but bases on two different ends of the country. That airport remains within one of the enclaves Russia’s ally, the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, retains in the northeast, which has gradually become dominated by the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and its allies. On the territory they control sits a small airfield in the town of Rmelan, near the Syrian border with Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, which the YPG have reportedly given the Americans to use for operations against ISIS. A mere 40 miles east of Qamishlo the airfield would constitute a handy little forward operating base for American drones and helicopters (one highly doubts the Americans would risk basing, even temporarily, their fighter jets in Syria). Both of these world powers have an interest in having bases in that end of Syria. Americans to bolster their allies and for the Russians it gives them a foothold in the northeast of the country. Russian presence in that area may well deter any Turkish attempts to intervene in Northern Syria against the Kurds. It also gives them a launch-pad from which to carry out close air support for the isolated Syrian Army garrison which has been holding out against Islamic State (ISIS) onslaughts in the Syrian provincial capital of Deir Ezzor for about two years now. Giving them logistical and air support would enable them to maintain their edge against ISIS and also retain Assad’s footholds in that corner of the country. Remember Syrian morale was deeply undermined in August 2014 when ISIS swiftly overran the strategically important Syrian air base of Al-Tabqa. What the Americans intend to do in the airfield in Hasakah isn’t so clear. One would wager a guess that it will be more of a forward-operating base. For some of the 200 Special Forces Washington is deploying against ISIS, for operations in both Iraq and Syria. Using helicopters they would likely assist the YPG in operations and raids against ISIS targets. The airfield would likely prove to be the perfect staging area for such operations and would enhance further the coalition’s abilities to hit ISIS quickly and decisively. Having two major powers in such close quarters would be quite something. Syria’s air space is already ridiculously cluttered with different air forces. However even since the Russian deployment four months ago coalition and Russian aircraft have operated largely in different areas. While the coalition has focused on bombing ISIS in the east and northeast the Russians have largely been directing their firepower against other groups, many of whom are Islamists, in other parts of the country. Such as Latakia, Idlib, Hama, Homs and Aleppo to the west and northwest and then Deraa and other areas to the south. That may change. While Deir Ezzor is a good 170 miles south of Qamishlo it is still close enough to the Kamishly Airport for Russian helicopter gunships to operate from across large swaths of Syrian’s east. Russian KA-35 or Mi-24 helicopter gunships could fly on air support or combat search and rescue missions to Deir Ezzor and back. Furthermore flying to Deir Ezzor from the north could prove less risky than coming from the west, which is longer. While the Russian gunships do have advanced counter measures it would make a lot of sense for them to avoid taking unnecessary risks wherever they can. Such scenarios may well soon unfold when and if these bases become operational. One hopes that having two powers with various different interests in the same war zone operating in such close proximity (remember Russia is not a member of the American-led coalition and doesn’t coordinate operations and strikes with them) doesn’t turn out to be hazardous. Paul Iddon is a Rudaw reporter based in Erbil, Kurdistan Region. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
