Turkey has now involved itself in the battle raging in Aleppo’s northern countryside. Further, Turkey is said to be attempting to thwart the Syrian army’s attempts to cut off the road between the city of Aleppo and Turkish territories and break the siege around the towns of Nubl and al-Zahraa. Ankara opened the border to fighters and supplied them with what they need to preempt a new military reality in the area, where the Turkish state wants to establish a buffer zone.