Professor Landis,

As always, hope you're well these days.

If you have a few free minutes I'd really appreciate your take on that wall Turkey has started building in Afrin for a piece I'm writing on the subject for Ahval News.

Basically, I'd like to know what you think its primary purpose is. Is it being constructed primarily to counter those YPG attacks from the neighbouring Shahba region or is its primary purpose more likely to cement the demographic changes Turkey has implemented at the expense of Afrin's Kurds since early 2018?

Also, why do you think Damascus and Moscow have been relatively quiet about it? I've seen the latter pretty much deny it, does this indicate there has been some kind of deal made between the two?


Many thanks, as always, for any feedback you can provide.


Best regards,
Paul