Turkish President Erdogan warns against division of Syria

Published January 7, 2025
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference — AFP File Photo
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference — AFP File Photo

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday he would order an intervention to prevent any splintering of Syria, a warning aimed particularly at the country’s Kurdish forces.

“We cannot accept under any pretext that Syria be divided and if we notice the slightest risk we will take the necessary measures,” the Turkish head of state said, adding that “we have the means”.

Erdogan’s warning is the latest aimed at the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces and to the United States, which backed the SDF’s offensive against the militant Islamic State group. Turkiye said that it was “only a matter of time” before Syrian Kurdish fighters — seen by the West as essential in the fight against the IS group fighters — will be wiped out. “Conditions in Syria have changed. We believe it’s only a matter of time before PKK/YPG is eliminated,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a news conference in the capital Ankara.

Turkiye sees the People’s Protection Units (YPG) — the main component of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) -— as a terror group linked to its outlawed domestic foe the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Saying there is no room for “terror” in Syria, Erdogan said that “should the risk present itself, we could intervene in one night”.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2025

Opinion

From hard to harder

From hard to harder

Instead of ‘hard state’ turning even harder, citizens deserve a state that goes soft on them in delivering democratic and development aspirations.

Editorial

Canal unrest
Updated 03 Apr, 2025

Canal unrest

With rising water scarcity in Indus system, it is crucial to move towards a consensus-driven policymaking process.
Iran-US tension
03 Apr, 2025

Iran-US tension

THE Trump administration’s threats aimed at Iran do not bode well for global peace, and unless Washington changes...
Flights to history
03 Apr, 2025

Flights to history

MOHENJODARO could have been the forgotten gold we desperately need. Instead, this 5,000-year-old well of antiquity ...
Eid amidst crises
Updated 31 Mar, 2025

Eid amidst crises

Until the Muslim world takes practical steps to end these atrocities, these besieged populations will see no joy.
Women’s rights
Updated 01 Apr, 2025

Women’s rights

Such judgements, and others directly impacting women’s rights should be given more airtime in media.
Not helping
Updated 02 Apr, 2025

Not helping

If it's committed to peace in Balochistan, the state must draw a line between militancy and legitimate protest.