Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is threatening military action against the PKK-affiliated YPG group if they do not meet Ankara’s demands.
Turkey has threatened to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria if they do not accept Ankara’s terms for a “bloodless” transition after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad last month.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told CNN Turk late Tuesday that “we will do what is necessary” if People’s Protection Units (YPG) they do not meet Ankara’s requirements. Turkey is striving to become a key player as its southern neighbor stabilizes.
Fidan said a “military operation” could be on the cards, although he added that the new Syrian leadership, which Turkey has expressed support for, has the power to fight the YPG on its own.
Al-Assad overthrown by opposition rebel forces last month he raised the prospect of Turkey directly intervening against Kurdish forces in Syria, which Ankara accuses of being linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The PKK has been fighting the Turkish government for decades. Turkey, as well as the United States and the European Union, have long considered it a “terrorist organization”. It is estimated that more than 40,000 people died in the conflict.
The presence of the YPG in Syria remains central to Turkey’s security strategy as it views the two groups as organically linked and adhering to the same ethno-nationalist separatism.
“Those international fighters who came from Turkey, Iran and Iraq must leave Syria immediately. At the moment, we do not see any preparations or any intentions in that direction and we are waiting,” Fidan told CNN Turk.
Turkish-backed factions in northern Syria continued their armed conflict with Kurdish forces at the same time that the rebels launched their offensive on November 27 that ousted al-Assad just 11 days later.
‘Give it some time’
Syria’s new interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group has long had ties to Turkey, told Al Arabiya TV on Sunday that Kurdish-led forces should be integrated into the national army.
Fidan, who met with al-Shara in Damascus last month, said Ankara expected the new leadership to address the YPG issue, although he added that he was willing to “give some time” while talks between Damascus and the YPG – and in progress.
“Terrorist fighters coming from international countries must leave Syria, the leadership of the PKK must leave the country. The remaining cadres must lay down their weapons and join the new system, this is for a bloodless and hassle-free transition.”
Asked if Turkey would continue to intervene in Syria despite US support for the YPG, Fidan said: “We have done it in the past in Afrin, Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad,” referring to locations in northern Syria that Turkey has targeted.
He said Turkiye would not hesitate to do it again. “This is what our national security requires. We have no other option.”
