Roundup: Turkey bids to beef up security along Syria border

With new physical measures being pondered, Turkey has tightened up the security along its southern border with Syria in the aftermath of deadly bombing that killed some three dozens in a Turkish town earlier this week.

"A physical security system will be established along the border," Turkish government Spokesman and deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Wednesday following the cabinet meeting.

"The critical issue here is preventing the entry of terrorists into Turkey and taking physical measures along the border against the as Islamic State (IS) threat," he added.

The new security sweep came after Monday's suicide attack by a suspected IS militant in the town Suruc of Sanliurfa province bordering neighboring Syria, which killed 32 civilians.

The details of the new measures were not publicly announced but were apparently discussed during a joint presentation by defense and interior ministers during the cabinet meeting.

In a glimpse to the debated plan, Turkish media reported that a security wall would be built along portions of the some 900 kms long Syrian border to prevent illegal crossings including terrorists.

It was not immediately clear how long the concrete wall, reportedly some 3.5 meter high, would extend along the borderline.

The priority areas are identified in border provinces Gaziantep, Hatay, Sanliurfa and Mardin where suspected terrorists go back and forth.

The barbed wire and security cameras will also be installed. The law enforcement agencies will fly drones to monitor the border area for 24-hours.

The funds that were required to build additional measures were already transferred to governors' offices in border provinces.

However, Turkish analysts are not so optimistic on the prospect and the effectiveness of these new security measures.

Cenk Sidar, the founder of Washington-based consulting firm Sidar Global Advisors (SGA), said the integrated border security system is nothing new.

He said the project has been discussed since 2003 but the government failed to make it happen due to lingering problems in tenders.

Ercan Tastekin, the head of Ankara-based Research Center for Security Strategies (GUSAM), said the government failed to establish a professional border security agency to cope with criminal networks in terror, drug, human trafficking and smuggling activities.

He said the government announced a national action plan to address weaknesses in security at the border in 2006 but did not follow through on that.

In a further sign that Turkish government is on high alert, the acting prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu held a special security meeting on Thursday night to discuss threats from the IS as well as the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), listed as terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the government said it will continue implementing every kind of measure to maintain public order and the country's national security and to take necessary additional measures.

Turkey has intensified the crackdown on the IS network in the country in recent months with more arrests being announced.

The move came on then heels of intense negotiations between Turkey and the United States on how the former can be more actively involve in the fight against the IS.

According to the White House statement, the U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation on Wednesday on the matter, agreeing to work together to "stem the flow of foreign fighters and secure Turkey's border with Syria."

Both Turkish and the U.S. media reported that Turkey has recently agreed to provide the expanded rights to use key air base in the southern Turkey in the U.S.-led campaign against the IS.

Turkish security analysts believe it is the high time to go after IS network in Turkey while preventing militants crossing the porous border with Syria.

"The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has long come under criticism for allegedly helping the IS to grow in Turkey and turning a blind eye to the frequent use of Turkish soil as a transit route for foreign fighters heading into Syria to join extremist groups, of which ISIL militants are the most notable," Lale Kemal, the security expert said.

She lamented that the Turkish government does not appear to admit the grave consequences that it's highly problematic Syrian policy in general, and its approach to IS in particular, have caused to Turkey's national security. Endit