site.btaTurkiye's Foreign Minister Hints at Possible Turkish Forces' Operation against Kurdish Forces in Syria

Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hints at Possible Turkish Forces' Operation against Kurdish Forces in Syria
Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hints at Possible Turkish Forces' Operation against Kurdish Forces in Syria
Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, answers questions from media members during a press conference in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Meeting with local and foreign media representatives in Istanbul on Friday, Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that, if needed, they would launch an operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Democratic Union Party, which he referred to as terrorist groups.

Ankara views the Kurdish groups in Syria - Democratic Union Party and the People's Defense Units (YPG) - as offshoots of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has been engaged in an armed struggle against the Turkish state since 1984.

At the Friday meeting, the Minister addressed questions about current affairs, including the situation in Syria and potential threats to Turkiye and the region.

In Fidan’s words, the main threat is terrorism in Syrian territories following the collapse of the Ba'ath Party regime.

He said that doing away with terrorism in Syria will be a key focus in 2025. "Turkiye is waging the most effective fight against terrorism. It is absolutely determined in this regard," the Minister noted, adding that the existence of terrorist organizations in the region is coming to an end. "Terrorism has no religion or nationality. For terrorist organizations, it does not matter whether it is Europe or America," Fidan added. "We will continue to fight with the same determination, without distinguishing between Daesh and PKK. We will not allow these threats to persist. Whether it is Damascus or us, we will take the necessary steps. If needed, we will carry out an operation against the PKK/YPG," Fidan said.

According to Turkiye's top diplomat, new steps will be taken to further the development of Syria with Turkiye's participation.

"Our story in Syria is only just beginning. The people there are facing a new reality after 61 years of atrocities by the bloodthirsty regime. Today, we take justified pride in being on the right side of history. We have begun to rebuild Syria and create stability in the region. The region needs peace and tranquility, which should be achieved through mutual efforts," he said.

Minister Fidan also discussed Gaza ceasefire talks. "The Palestinian issue has been at the top of our agenda over the past year and remains so. We can see that Israeli atrocities on Palestine are ongoing. While we have mobilized all our resources for Palestine, we have also established a dialogue with our international partners. We joined the legal case at the International Criminal Court. Thanks to this, nine more countries have recognized Palestine," he said.

The Minister also discussed Kurdish issues, including meetings of the pro-Kurdish DEM party delegation with PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan at Imrali prison.

Asked whether PKK will give up its weapons and disband as Turkiye demands, Fidan said that "the terrorist organization has ties with many countries, operational links with many intelligence services, and connections to the military structures of many countries. The question is to what extent an organization so infiltrated and manipulated can follow instructions from its own leaders."

As to the presence of Turkish troops in Syria, the Minister said, "Turkiye is also reviewing its relations based on the steps taken by the new government in Syria. We are in a very new phase. It has only been a month. Our presence there will now have to evolve into a different dimension if all goes well."

Minister Fidan’s meeting with media representatives on January 10 coincided with Working Journalists Day, which has been observed in Turkiye since 1961.

/MR/

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By 00:18 on 11.01.2025 Today`s news

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