Security problems on Turkey's Syria and Iraq border in the context of terrorism

The most explicit examples of proxy wars in the recent history of the Middle East can betraced back to the period when the Ottoman Empire entered its decline during the years of the First World War. Western actors, utilizing the ethnic and religious diversity of the region as a tool, have since then turned this situation to their advantage, installing regimes sympathetic to their interests. This has been articularly evident in Iraq and Syria for a long time. Thegeopolitical positions and resources serve as the primary motives for these actors to seek external control over both countries. Especially in Iraq and Syria, a strategy of dividing and ruling is being implemented, aiming to establish smaller states aligned with Western interests. Today, these actors openly utilize proxy actors to achieve their objectives, preferring armed groups for this purpose. While the actors profit from the ongoing proxy wars in both countries, neighboring countries, particularly Turkey, suffer from the consequences. Some of the security threats Turkey faces include terrorist organizations targeting its border provinces and attacks in major cities like Istanbul and Ankara, as well as the national security implications of refugees arriving from Syria. This study will examine how the armed groups involved in proxy wars in Iraq and Syria, the attempted establishment of a terrorist state along the border, and the influx of refugees from Syria pose security challenges for Turkey. It will also analyze Turkey's diplomatic efforts with global actors such as the US, Russia, and Iran to address these problems, evaluating the adequacy of this diplomacy and discussing the rationale and outcomes of Turkey's crossborder operations aimed at securing its safety within the framework of realist theory. Keywords: Security, Terrorism, Proxy wars, Proxy actors, Global actors.