Under islamic law, it is a war crime to destroy a tree with a green leaf (meaning just this kind of thing).
It looks like a transparent attempt at ethnic cleansing of the area.
In winter they have no green leaves.
But yes, that is exactly what they are doing. And they are not just doing it in Turkey. They cross the border in Syria and bulldoze olive orchards just to show they can.
Do you think they will try that with Ivan setting on a tank in Syria observing them? smile.
The Turks cut down cedar trees in Lebanon when that country was still under the Ottoman empire.