Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has declared that it is “only a matter of time” before Kurdish-led armed groups in Syria are eradicated, and stressed that Ankara would not tolerate the presence of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) following the potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Turkey considers the YPG, a key component of the US -backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a “terrorist” organisation due to its links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Fidan made the remarks during a press conference in Ankara on Monday, warning Western nations against supporting Kurdish-led groups in Syria. He argued that if the West intends to use the Islamic State (ISIL) threat as an excuse to strengthen the PKK, Turkey would oppose such efforts.
The relationship between Turkey and the US has been strained over Washington’s support for the SDF, which played a crucial role in the defeat of ISIL in 2019. The SDF controls several detention camps holding ISIL fighters, a fact that has made it a key ally for the U.S. in preventing the group’s resurgence.
The comments from Fidan follow a statement from Syrian opposition leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who called for Kurdish-led forces to be integrated into Syria’s national army. Meanwhile, Fidan also discussed the ongoing threat posed by ISIL with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, especially in light of potential instability in Syria after Assad’s regime is overthrown. Both officials expressed concerns about ISIL’s ability to regroup in the region.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also weighed in, saying that the “revolution” in Syria would end Kurdish separatist hopes, with new leadership in Syria determined to eliminate the YPG. Erdogan emphasized that there would be no option for the YPG other than to surrender its weapons and disband. He vowed that Turkey would use “its iron fist” to deal with the group.
Fidan’s comments come at a critical time, as the Syrian conflict continues to evolve with shifting alliances and the spectre of ISIL’s resurgence.
