Operation olive branch: Cross-border use of the right of self-defense

Abstract

Introduction International law and international politics are very close to each other. The impossibility of separating these two fields is often due to the fact that they support each other. As such, there is a similarity and harmony among them. On the other hand, when considered in the context of obedience, international politics must comply with many international concepts and rules. However, although international law is an independent field, the rules of international law is not determined without international politics. Although this is the case in theory, the approaches of states in practice can lead to differences/conflicts in the understanding of “international law”. In other words, the theory and practice may not overlap each other absolutely. Operation Olive Branch launched by Turkey is such a case where international law and international politics conflict with each other. While Turkey points out that the operations carried out in accordance with the international law, some argue that Turkey’s operation does not fulfill conditions of the international law. This article suggests that Turkey’s operation fulfills the conditions of the international law. The study uses deductive reasoning to legitimate the operation. International Legal Basis of Operation Olive Branch: The Right to Self-Defense Turkey started a cross-border “Operation Olive Branch” in cooperation with Free Syrian Army in Syria’s Northwestern Afrin region on 20th January 2018. According to official announcement of Turkish Armed Forces, the aim of the operation is “to establish security and stability…. © Peter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Berlin 2019.