Türkiye to keep pressure on terror groups in 2026, says defense minister

ANKARA

National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said on Wednesday that Türkiye would not allow any terrorist organization — including the PKK/YPG and SDF — to continue operating in the region or “impose any kind of new reality in the field.”

Güler made the remarks during a visit to the Artillery and Missile School Command in Ankara’s Polatlı district on New Year’s Eve, accompanied by senior military officials.

He said operations carried out in 2025 had “significantly restricted” the mobility of terrorist groups inside Türkiye and across its borders, weakening their access to shelter, logistics and recruitment.

“These achievements have laid the groundwork for launching the goal of a ‘Terror-Free Türkiye’,” he said, paying tribute to soldiers killed or wounded in the fight.

Güler said Ankara would continue counterterrorism efforts “with prudence and responsibility,” in coordination with relevant institutions and in close dialogue with Syria’s administration.

He also called on the SDF to fulfil its obligations under the March 10 agreement.

The minister also warned against unilateral actions in Cyprus, the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, saying Türkiye would not allow any fait accompli “despite Türkiye.”

Güler said the Turkish Armed Forces continue to contribute to security missions in multiple countries, citing deployments ranging from Azerbaijan to Libya and Somalia.

On March 10, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces into state institutions, reaffirming Syria’s territorial unity and rejecting divisionç

Syrian authorities have accused the SDF of failing to meet the terms of the deal in the months that followed, while Turkish officials have repeatedly stressed the group must comply.

Ankara says the SDF is dominated by the YPG, which it views as the Syrian branch of the PKK. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union.