Diplomats from Ankara and Damascus issue warnings to Israel regarding military action in Syria
In a recent meeting with Syria's Asaad al-Shaibani in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed a series of ongoing challenges facing the positive process underway in Syria.
Fidan expressed concern over the failure to integrate the YPG, a Kurdish militia group, into the Syrian state. He stated that this failure poses a challenge not only to the ongoing positive process but also to Turkey's national security, as the YPG is seen by Ankara as an extension of the PKK militant group, which has long been a threat to Turkish sovereignty.
The PKK, which has fought a decades-long insurgency against Ankara, is currently in the process of disbanding as part of a peace agreement with the Turkish government. However, Fidan warned that the PKK has not eliminated the threat of armed action nor sent home foreign fighters in its ranks.
Asaad al-Shaibani also raised concerns, mentioning repeated Israeli threats to Syria, particularly through airstrikes, as a major concern. He warned against efforts to foster chaos in Syria, echoing Fidan's sentiments about the dangers of foreign interventions exacerbating sectarian and regional strife.
Regarding Israel, Fidan stated that certain actors, including Israel, are bothered by the positive developments in Syria. He suggested that Israel's national security seems to prioritize the creation of chaos in Syria, pointing to the March bloodshed in the coastal Alawite heartland of Latakia and the recent deadly violence in the southwestern Druze-majority province of Sweida as evidence of these efforts.
Turkey's concerns regarding Israel focus primarily on opposing Israeli military actions in Gaza and broader regional policies. Turkey has taken strong punitive measures against Israel, including suspending billions of dollars in bilateral trade since May 2024, blocking Israeli-linked ships from Turkish ports, freezing flights, and canceling high-level visits. Ankara demands a permanent ceasefire and establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state on 1967 borders as conditions for improving relations.
In addition, Turkey is wary of any external forces that bolster Kurdish groups or undermine Turkish influence in northern Syria. The YPG is part of the US-backed Kurdish-led SDF, and Turkey opposes foreign support to them, fearing that YPG fighters in northern Syria operate as a proxy for the PKK, challenging Turkish sovereignty and security.
These concerns drive Turkey’s assertive diplomatic, economic, and military measures to preserve its influence and security in the region. Fidan warned that in an unstable environment, Turkey has no chance of remaining calm. He urged all parties to prioritise peace and stability in Syria, and to avoid actions that could exacerbate the ongoing conflicts.
- Turkey, in discussions with Russia over general news, politics, and war-and-conflicts, has expressed concerns about the integration of the YPG in Syria, fearing it could pose a challenge to both the ongoing process and Turkey's national security, as it is seen as an extension of the PKK.
- Regarding Israel, both Turkey and Syria have raised concerns about repeated threats and airstrikes, with Asaad al-Shaibani warning against foreign interventions exacerbating regional strife, and Fidan accusing certain actors, including Israel, of creating chaos in Syria.
- Turkey's diplomatic, economic, and military measures in the region are driven by concerns about external forces bolstering Kurdish groups, such as the YPG in Syria, which Turkey opposes due to fears that they operate as a proxy for the PKK, challenging Turkish sovereignty and security.
