Two Syrian Fighters Reveal Plans to Go to Azerbaijan for $1500 Salary

Reuters has published an article stating that "Turkey is sending Syrian rebel fighters to Azerbaijan to support Baku in the escalating conflict with neighboring Armenia." This information was disclosed to the agency by two Syrian rebels.

According to the Armenian ambassador in Moscow, Turkey has sent around 4,000 fighters from northern Syria to Azerbaijan, where they are currently engaged in combat. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has denied this claim, while Turkey has not commented, despite high-ranking Turkish officials, including President Erdogan, promising to support Baku.

The two fighters, who belong to rebel groups supported by Turkey in northern Syria, reported that their deployment in Azerbaijan is coordinated by Ankara. The fighters declined to provide their names due to the sensitivity of the situation.

"I didn’t want to go, but I have no money. Life is very difficult and poor," said one of the fighters who had fought with the Turkey-backed "Ahrar al-Sham" group in Syria.

Both fighters revealed that their brigade commanders in Syria had told them they would earn $1,500 monthly, which is a significant amount in Syria. One fighter stated that his assignment was arranged by official from the Turkey-backed "Syrian National Army" in Afrin. The spokesman for the Syrian National Army declined to comment.

According to another Syrian fighter who spoke with Reuters, he was informed that around 1,000 Syrians are being deployed in Azerbaijan. Other rebels, who also chose not to identify themselves, mentioned numbers ranging from 700 to 1,000 fighters.

The two fighters, who spoke with Reuters last week, stated that they were supposed to depart on September 25, tasked with overseeing rather than fighting. As of today, September 28, the agency has been unable to contact them to confirm their whereabouts.

The agency notes that Turkey has repeatedly expressed its willingness to support Azerbaijan. Just last week, during a speech at the UN General Assembly, President Erdogan accused Armenia of attacking its neighbor.

Reuters reports that concerns about Ankara potentially becoming more embroiled in the conflict have contributed to a record drop in the Turkish lira.

Turkey has previously used Syrian fighters to repel General Khalifa Haftar's assault on Tripoli, the capital of Libya, with Haftar's Libyan National Army being supported by Russia. According to the agency, the use of Syrian fighters has created a third theater of regional competition between Ankara and Moscow.