Saussurea (ISSN.

0373-2525)

Vol. 3 (2). PP:791-796

The survey of the relationship between Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria
Mohammad Abolfathi, Maryam Malmir
Department of political science, razi university, Iran

Received: March 2015 & Published: May 2015

Abstract: In the contemporary world, recent changes in the Middle East are considered as the most extensive
changes in the political structure countries in this region. These changes are called the "Islamic awakening" and
spring in Arab world" that initially, began of Tunisia and then transferred in other countries such as Egypt, Libya,
Yemen, Bahrain and Syria. But, in Syria, the conditions were different and trans-regional and regional countries to
intervene in the internal affairs of Syria. Turkey is one of these countries that want to reform in the Bashar al-Assad
government at the beginning of the crisis; but once supported the groups opposing of the Syrian government,
especially the Muslim Brotherhood that they wanted to overthrow Assad's government. The major question is
whether there is a relationship between Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria? The main assumption is in
this article which seems that this relation is a kind of pragmatism in foreign policy of Turkey.
Keywords: Muslim Brotherhood, Turkey, Syria, Foreign Policy of Turkey
The Justice and Development Party, is close to the
Muslim Brotherhood, and supported of affiliated
parties to the Muslim Brotherhood, Turkey seeks to
export its model, a combination of Islam and
Democracy, to other countries in the region, and
tends to be as a leader of the Sunni world. Hence, this
country is trying to based on a realistic, could be a
crucial role in regional equations, and become a
major power in the region and the world.

1. Introduction
A regional power in crisis in Syria is Turkey that
they had fundamental conflict with each other on
either side of the river Tigris and Euphrates, as well
as Syria supported of Turkey's Kurdish and region of
Hatay (Iskenderun). Despite, the controversy before
the Syrian crisis was almost solved, and they
expanded their diplomatic relations, and occasionally
also accused each other of interfering in their affairs.
But with the beginning of the crisis in Syria, Turkey,
until the middle of the crisis calls for peaceful
conflict resolution method, once in keeping with the
West and America and other regional powers, while
supporting the opposition and conducting some
conferences in Turkey for the opposition wants
Bashar al-Assad relinquishing his power, and even
the threat of military attack. Considering that Turkey
has a long border with Syria, through the Border, a
great aid has been given to the opponents of Bashar
al-Assad.
The largest opposition movement of Assad is
Muslim Brotherhood, Which was established of
former President Hafez al-Assad (1995-1971), who
came to power in a coup, and has to exist until now,
the period of Bashar al-Assad. This group always has
been as an anti-government movement.
From Turkish politicians, traditional political systems
in the region, are not allowed to play a significant
role in Turkey, and only with change in the status
quo, Turkey can be a remarkable presence in the
region. For this purpose, it welcomes to change in the
region which led to the rise of the political system as
its desired. In the meantime, Turkey's ruling party,

1. The political geography of Turkey:

Turkey is thirty-fifth countries in the world in terms
of area. Turkish territory consists of two peninsulas,
Including the Anatolian peninsula is in Asia and
makes up 97% of territory of Turkey, and the
European part of Turkey is a peninsula terrace, and
has the southern border with Syria and Iraq. It is 877
km border with Syria, so this country is critical for
strategic issues in Turkey (Ansari, 1997). So this
situation has caused that Changes in Syria is
important for this country and this country attempt to
control these changes, and turn the situation to its
advantage and its national security.
2. Policy issues in relations around water between
Turkey and Syria:
From the 1970s onwards, a serious conflict between
the two countries with Iraq for use of water came
over the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The conflict in
1990 simultaneously with construction of the last
diversion tunnel of Atatrk Dam reached its peak.
Factors that affect the severity of this problem
Include: 1. Syrian support for Kurdish Workers Party
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7. The integrated approach to foreign policy (none of
the parts are not replaced), 8. Policy fully inclusive
and stable (equilibrium in the foreign relations
between countries and regions. (Momeni & khademi,
2013).

of Turkey (ppk), 2-harboring Turkish Muslim

opponents of the Assad regime,
3. Syria's claim to the province of Hatay
(Iskenderun).
4. Concern about the extent of economic cooperation
between Turkey, and Iraq before the Persian Gulf
crisis (Javed Ansari,: 1997).

5. Strategy of Turkey on the changes in Syria

A) Communicating with the current Syrian
opposition and trying to understand their needs and a
careful study of their ultimate goals the fulfillment of
their wishes and yet maintain a relationship with
Damascus to convince serious reform.
B) Trying to Ankara with the arrival of a number of
Syrian refugees in Turkey to barrier to prevent the
entry of Syrian refugees which gives the possibility
of al-Qaida and Kurd elements.
C) Accompany international sanctions against Syria
insofar as their interests are not at stake.
D) Carry out a program of military operations against
Syria, if the Damascus military operations do, but
Ankara has said it not intending to attack on
Damascus.
E) whereas Turkey has come to understand that the
Syrian government is currently collapse and there is
no other way to escape, With the strong support of
the Security Council, NATO, the United States and
the Islamic Arab society to prevent Syria unrest
spread to other parts of the region, including its soil
military action does, after a review of the most
important factors in deciding on Turkish foreign
policy is determined that the purpose of this country
to achieve own interests and the role of regional
power and become a major factor to international
relations and to achieve the desired Whenever it
could have changed its strategy proportionate to the
objectives and national interests to the international
relations act.
6-The positions and actions of Turkey in Syria crisis
Although in the past few decades, in the context of
regional policy, Justice and Development Party of
two Countries had a new chapter in relations between
the two countries established, but later, the foreign
policy of both countries were influenced by events
and changes in Syria (Bayat, 2015).
Simultaneously with beginning of the crisis in Syria,
at first, approach of Turkey Based on cooperation
with the Government of Syria, and help to solve this
country's crisis, thereupon, Turkey supported the
reforms in Syria and struggled to return stability and
peace by help to Assad government. But the Turkish
government came to the conclusion that there was no
serious intention to reform or in worst position,
Bashar could not influence in political structure of
Syria to advance these goals, thus, there had been no
clear vision for the Assad regime, and they thought

3. Islam in Turkey:
Turkey is a Muslim country, amounting to 90% of
the population is Muslim, Most of Muslims are
Sunnis, But despite being a Muslim population,
politicians in this country chose to manage the
country, a secular political system (Javed Ansari,
1995). The Hanafi Muslims in Turkey is very high
compared to other Muslims. Shafei also have a
branch of Sunni that most of its followers are Kurdish
people, Alavi in Turkey are in the minority. A small
percentage of Muslims are Shia in Turkey. Turkish
Islamic groups operating outside the country is
widely felt more strongly in Germany. (Ghasemi,
1996).
4. Turkey's AKP's foreign policy:
By the time, the Justice and Development Party came
to power (2002) foreign policy was based on That
this country must become a major player in
diplomatic resolving regional issues, and reliable for
the West, Which has the following advantages to
Ankara ,
1. Sending outside the Turkish domestic threats,
2. Increasing the attractiveness of Turkey's soft
power in the region, 3. Turkey has become a
significant player for the US and Europe
4. The opportunity to Ankara in the equations of
strategic and geopolitical competition. With regard
to the factors to be determined Turkish politicians on
the basis of its foreign policy with the West,
particularly the United States and countries in the
region were matched.
In the talk of democracy, there is contrast with the
situation in Syria to cooperate with the West.
Turkish foreign policy in this period; Based on the
doctrine of the Strategic Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu that its components include:
1. No problems with neighbors, 2. Follow the Turkish
Union Europe, 3. Maintain a strategic relationship
with the US,
4. Having an active role in the Middle East and
becoming as a pattern in the region, in terms of
integration of religion and democracy,
5. To become an energy transit pole of in the region;
6. Chance of regional crises (the mediating role) to
strengthen the credibility and role;
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recently also the situation in Syria, armed opposition
will follow.

that the forces opposing will overcome to Assad

regime. (Momeni, Khademi et al., 2013: 23)
By continuing protests in Syria, The Turkish
government's mediator policy changed to the
diplomatic pressure on Assad's government, for
democratic reforms and attention to the demands of
the protesters, and it had an imperative tone. This
change in orientation of Turkey can be studied from
several perspectives. First, they found that Sooner or
later, Syrian government will be fall and opponents
will sit on the seat of power. This assessment is the
result of a comparison with other changes in the
Middle East that their governments collapsed.
Second, the Turkish government to understand
current changes and wants to outdo the other regional
competitors such as Iran, by cooperation with its
Western allies, try to precede these internal
developments in Syria to its avail, and by this way,
became the only super power in the regional
variations (Bayat, 2015).
The subjects mentioned before, It seems that the
Turkish government just review the regional and
international situation, and not a clear stance in Syria
refuses and look forward to future developments in
the region to make decisions on its own foreign
policy and this is the best strategy to be followed by
its clever policy.

8. The Syria social structure:

Social structure Syria mainly composed of four
ethnic: Arabs, Kurds, Armenians and Cherkesi.
However, Syria's main tribes with their population
distribution are as follows:
8.1. Muslims who are divided into several tribes:
- Sunnis, which is 70% of the total population and
they are living in city of Daraa, Damascus suburb of
Damascus, Homs its Suburbs, Aleppo Suburbs.
Kurds make up 15% this population and resident in
Damascus, Aleppo, the Turkish border, Idlib, chips,
Al-Hasakah and Daraa.
Although the majority of Syria's Kurds were deprived
of a birth certificate because their Living areas are
known as the Arab region. But those who had a birth
certificate work in strategic areas such as the
judiciary and the army. They are mostly Hanafi sect.
They involved in military conflict in 1982, between
Muslim Brotherhood and Syria's Baath Party Syria's's
military. The original inhabitants of Syria's Sunni
Arabs, who know their self as main inhabitance, have
different religion, including Qaderieh, Naqshbandi,
Refa'ieh, Hanafi, Hanbali (Majority) Maliki, Shafi'i
Minority). The main Sunni political party is Muslim
Brotherhood that its leaders scatter in Iraq, Germany
and Saudi (Saaedi, 2015).
- Alavi: These are the largest religious minority in
Syria they are about 12% of Syria's population. Most
of them are living in the cities of Damascus, Aleppo,
Lattakia, Tartus, Homs and Hama, Current president
Syria's, Bsharasd is Alavi. They are most influential
groups in Syria's's power structure and many of them
are in control in top situation in party officials,
government, military and security services.
- Other religious sects are including Shia, Druze, and
Ismailis.

7. Political geography of in Syria:

As long time, Syria was the weakest of aspirations
state in the Middle East. Its borders were drawn by
colonial powers after World War I. Regardless of
geographic, political, economic and cultural
cooperation in the region (Saaedi, 2015).
This country since a long time, was the opposition of
influence of western governments and colonial to the
Middle East region, including the fight against
colonial France and opposed with Sykes-Picot
agreement that was divided the Middle East into two
regions, in 1916, between French and Great Britain, it
can be mentioned. Assad family in Syria since 1970,
which came to power, they had always been a
supporter of Hezbollah and the Lebanese resistance
movement in the area. This has caused to pressure on
Syria that is the only Arabic states, which acts
independently in decisions and is not affected by any
of the western states.
Israel's is bordered with Syria and this subject, to
increases Syria's importance in the resistance. Arabic
countries in the region due to lack of Syria along with
their policies in the region, commensurate with the
demands of international with these powers, trying to
hit the Syrian government and the fall of the regime
were that it used to accuse Syria of involvement in
terrorism, regional, Sanctions against Syria, and

8.2. Christians:
These tribes constitute 15% of the total population of
Syria and they are present at economic centers,
banks, media and political institutions; this group live
around Damascus, Homs and Lattakia.
8.3. The Jews:
Due to pressure from the West, and let them out of
this sect in Syria the number of them decreased.
9. The roots of centrifugal and Syria's crisis:
In Syria's due to the underdevelopment of the
communications infrastructure and the hierarchy of
central places in the area is strong national political
loyalty. French and English are the separation of the
major cities like Syria's, Aleppo, Homs and
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in Egypt and in 1939, relying on Palestinian cause
and the rights of the Arabs became a political
organization (Aghaei et al., 1987).
However, it has established branches outside of
Egypt. The first branch Muslim Brotherhood out of
Egypt was formed in 1937 in Syria. This relates to
the Syrian students in Egypt and kind treatment of
member of this movement with them that makes the
link between them. This movement was due to the
pressure on the Syrian government to mandate had to
be divided into different branches, all of them are
known as "Shabab Mohamed.
This party began forming paramilitary organizations
such Sraya and Ftveh. (Al-Husseini, 2009) This
Author, in his book, objectives of Syrias Muslim
Brotherhood stated as follows which we refer to
them.
A. Nation of freedom and unity, support the school,
the setting the rules of social, economic and
cultural, based on Islam.
B. The purpose of Muslim Brotherhood Like the
other parties was not only promoting slogans of
reform but it was just the correction. To achieve
this goal, they fought imperialism.
C. Muslim Brotherhood in general, and apart from
sectarian dissension invites people to cooperate
and to condemn any attempt to separate the
individual ranks as religion.
D. Due to internal problems, they call for a
fundamental form of government in the
implementation of the rules was impartial.
However, in the case of religion, they did not call
themselves religious sect and believed that the
movement back to the fundamental teachings of
religions and religions in particular are common.

Damascus Mediterranean port of Haifa, Beirut and

Iskenderun that previously were associated together,
by political boundaries imposed, the overall pattern
of regional interaction in the cast are destroyed.
Another factor that prevents solidarity Syria, It was
an obvious lack of geographical focus, for example,
Damascus and Aleppo, until recently, the extent to
which they have traditionally been rivals and political
parties, with a seat in one of them had tried to gain
power in the national level. Damascus wants a
relationship with Egypt, But Halabi want a
relationship with Iraq that was the perfect opportunity
in trade between Asia Minor and Mesopotamia
(Saaedi, 2015); However, the roots of the crisis in
Syria, including the following factors.
9.1. Authoritarian regime:
In these systems, the freedom of citizens
overwhelmed by the power of the state to justify the
regardless of the wishes of the people and the rulers
to implement their own policies; Syria's is one of the
authoritarian one-party system is who for many years
was operated under emergency conditions.
9.2. Sectarian and ethnic cleavages:
The root of Syria crisis is from tribes and ethnic
origins people like Armenians, Christians, Kurds,
Turkmen, Arabs and Chaldeans, Cherkesi, which
created heterogeneous situation in the country.
9.3. Growing extremist Islamism
9.4. Economic factors:
In Syria, Due to lack of economic justice and the gap
between rich and poor (the inhabitants of towns and
villages), as well as high food prices and
unemployment, increase the day on, pressure on the
Syrian government. (Momeni, Khademi, 2013)
Overall, Because Syria is the resistance of the path
connecting East and West and the high geopolitical
position as a route to transport gas to Europe, also, it
is neighboring Lebanon and the Quds occupying
regime and has a very close relationship with the
Islamic Republic of Iran, regional powers and
international by applying pressure and sanctions
trying to disturb this place to suit their own purposes,
Which leads to economic pressure and eventually it is
critical for the Assad government.

10.1. Activity of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria:

The group's activities are in Europe in Aachen. In
1980, by entering socialists, Christian and Alawite
Muslim groups in this group, a new organization was
developed under name "the National Front" for the
Liberation of Syria (Aghaei et al., 1987).
However, looking at the history Muslim Brotherhood
movement in Syria characterized this movement from
the beginning, in the name of Islam to fight the
Syrian government and despite the fact that the
majority of the Syrian population is Muslim, this
government instead of implementing Islamic policies
carried out policies that were contrary to Islam.
1. At the beginning of the 1937 Islamic government
did not mention.
2. From the political point they wanted to get rid of
Arabic and Islamic countries of imperialism.

10. Muslim Brotherhood movement

Muslim Brotherhood movement primarily is to the
process of political and social history of Egypt, after
popularity of thinking separating religion from
politics among intellectuals and the spread of
nationalist sentiments to reform the situation in Egypt
strangulation against England during the 1919's. This
movement in 1928 by Hassan al-banna was founded
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policy was followed. This new approach is based on
pragmatism pattern projection and was followed; the
result of the developments in Syria's stance was
pursued. Despite the fact that at the beginning of the
Syrian crisis peacefully pursued their way and the
Syrian government has worked to alleviate the crisis,
but suddenly they changed their direction by
observing the situation in Syria, and supported of the
opposition of the Syrian government. Turkish
supported of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood,
because this group, most of whom are Sunni, they are
the largest anti-government of Damascus. In addition,
they also did not in their remarks emphasis on
establishing an Islamic state. These two issues (i.e.,
age and lack of emphasis on the creation of an
Islamic state) which is called Justice and
Development Party in Turkey, prompted the Turkish
government's support of the Syrian Muslim
Brotherhood, In the hope that in the future, a state as
they come to power and Turkey can be also as a
leader of the Islamic world. These cases show that
Turkey's support for the Muslim Brotherhood is not
based on ideology, but also from a pragmatic
perspective (realism) in the foreign policy of this
country, that try to convert itself into a regional super
power in all relationships and surpass other
competitors, including the Islamic Republic of Iran.
However, based on available evidence and
considering the ethnic diversity in Syria, It seems
unlikely that the other parties agree to form a
government with the Muslim Brotherhood and called
on the Turkish that a state to work which is
particularly Justice and Development Party. This
evidence leads to the opposition international are
with Brotherhood movement.

3. In domestic politics, they said that the reform of

the political system imperfections, such a manner that
people can choose their representatives without fear
of government (Khosro shahi, 2009).
Tactics of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria is
already scoring liberals and secular opposition to
Damascus. Through the use of their potential against
the Syrian regime comes to power after overthrowing
Bsharasd.
During three decades this group has a key role in
encouraging the opposition of the Muslim
Brotherhood who were hiding abroad.
The group was involved in the Damascus
Declaration, which was founded in 2005. But after
separation Halim Khaddam, fugitive Deputy of
Bsharasd and the flow of Damascus Declaration,
joined to Khaddam group (front Watani al-Khalis).
By the time the 33-day war on Hezbollah and Israel
in 2006 and the 2008-2009 Gaza war, Brotherhood
and Bsharasd government brokered by Turkey and
Hamas, came to a reconciliation, But at the same time
changes the Arab world, in 2011, with Events in
Daraa and Hama, Brothers subsequently re-started
their activities and manage protests. In this respect,
they use to support of the Turkish government.
However their first meeting was in Turkey. The
meeting was hosted by the Turkish Prime Minister
Erdogan and most members of it were of the
Brotherhood (Ghasemian, 2015).
10.2. Behavioral foundations of the Muslim
Brotherhood in Syria, as the main opposition
group, the Syrian government:
1. The number of Muslim Brotherhood want that the
government comes to power in Syria that to be the
presenter of Islamic laws as Salafi narrated it. This
group even if the Syrian regime falls, unlikely to
compromise with Israel.
2. The second group concluded that the future is in
the hands of the Brotherhood and therefore it is not
necessary to rely on the non-Brotherhood.
3. The third group constitutes the majority, by using
of the religious feelings of people and money in
Saudi Arabia and is in contact with an atheist
secretly. This group that Turkey also welcomes them,
it seems that they live in a childish game and even if
Assad falls, America will not permit the emergence
of groups who want to continue the conflict with
Israel.

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11. Discussion
Relations between Turkey and Syria, after Syria's
independence was very fragile; This time, with the
rise of Justice and Development Party changed and
the two countries had a lot of interaction which was
derived from a new perspective that Turkish foreign
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