Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan declared there is no place for Kurdish militants in Syria’s future, reported Reuters, emphasizing the need for the YPG militia to disband. Fidan made the remarks during a visit to Damascus, the first by a Turkish foreign minister since the fall of Bashar al-Assad two weeks ago.
Fidan met with Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa amid ongoing hostilities between Turkish-backed Syrian forces and the US-aligned Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which the YPG spearheads. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara, Washington, and the European Union.
Fidan stated that discussions with the Syrian administration focused on ensuring Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. “In the coming period, the YPG must come to a point where it is no longer a threat to Syria’s national unity,” he said, urging the militia to disband.
The SDF played a crucial role in defeating Islamic State militants from 2014 to 2017 with U.S. support. However, the group now faces growing threats from Ankara and its allies, as well as shifting dynamics under Syria’s new leadership, which maintains close ties with Turkey.
Fidan also criticized the international community for overlooking the SDF and YPG’s “illegal” actions but expressed optimism that US President-elect Donald Trump would take a different approach. Syria’s administration has indicated a willingness to manage Islamic State prison camps if needed, according to Fidan.
Turkey has conducted multiple cross-border offensives against Kurdish factions in northern Syria and controls territory along the border. Ankara continues to demand that the US halt support for the Kurdish fighters.
Meanwhile, Syria’s new leadership, including the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, is expected to move against YPG-held territories.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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