End of the road in sight for YPG in Syria: Erdoğan
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to eliminating the threat posed by the YPG terrorist organization in Syrian territories, as the southern neighbor embarks on a new era following the fall of the Assad regime in early December.
“Time is running out for PKK and its affiliates; the circle is tightening; the end of the road for them is in sight,” Erdoğan said following a cabinet meeting on late Dec. 23.
YPG, PKK’s Syrian offshoot, has long been controlling the Syrian territories in the eastern Euphrates thanks to its partnership with the United States in the fight against ISIL. Türkiye is frequently urging the U.S. to cut its ties with the group whose aim is to divide Syria and create its own entity.
Citing the beginning of a new era in Syria after the opposition groups took over the government from Bashar al-Assad who fled to Russia, Edoğan underlined once again that “there is no place for terrorism in new Syria, including PKK and ISIL.”
“I would like to underline that the protection of Syria’s territorial integrity and unitary structure under all circumstances is Türkiye’s unchangeable line. We will definitely not take a step back from this,” he stated.
Erdoğan said PKK and its affiliates will either dissolve themselves or be eliminated.
Citing Ankara’s engagement with the new leadership led by Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus through the visits of National Intelligence Chief İbrahim Kalın and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan last week, Erdoğan stated that these contacts will continue in the coming period.
Expressing his hope that Syrians will revive their country in unity and solidarity in the new era, Erdoğan called on all the neighboring countries to understand that “a stable Syria is a source of stability and security for the whole region.”
“As Syria achieves more peace, everyone in the region will feel safer. To this end, we should all stand in solidarity with the Syrian people in their efforts for reconstruction and capacity building. This is what the Syrian people expect from the Arab world and the Islamic world. We find the moderate messages given by the new government in this regard very valuable and meaningful,” Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan criticizes Israel’s attacks on Syria
On the Israeli attacks against Syria in the past weeks, Erdoğan criticizes Tel Aviv for trying to overshadow the revolution staged by the Syrians.
“Even if Israel acts opportunistically, sooner or later, it will withdraw from the lands it occupied. It will be forced to do so,” he stated.
