Erdogan says ready to intervene militarily to prevent Syrian division

ANKARA,— Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday vowed to take action to prevent Syria from fragmenting, specifically targeting Kurdish forces in Syrian Kurdistan.

“We cannot allow Syria to be divided under any circumstances,” Erdogan said during a press briefing in Ankara. “If we detect even the slightest threat, we will act decisively. We have the capacity to do so.”

Erdogan’s remarks were aimed primarily at the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States in its fight against the Islamic State.

While lauding efforts to combat terrorism, Erdogan emphasized there is no room for “terror” in Syria and signaled Turkey’s readiness to intervene. “If a risk emerges, we can act overnight without warning,” he added.

Over the weekend, at least 85 jihadi fighters from pro-Turkey Islamist factions were killed in clashes with the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia that forms the backbone of the SDF.

Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group designated as a “terrorist” organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union. The PKK has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s.

Despite Ankara’s designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria’s new ruling Islamist group, as a terrorist organization, the rest of the world, Turkey has supported and aligned with the group for years according to observers. Reports suggest that Ankara maintains significant influence over HTS.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently stated that eliminating the PKK/YPG is “only a matter of time.”

Analysts says that Turkey fears the emergence of a Kurdish autonomous region in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) could inspire similar separatist movements among its Kurdish population, which is estimated to exceed 23 million. In fact, Turkey continues to deny the constitutional recognition of its own Kurdish minority, despite making up a significant portion of the country’s population.

Erdogan also cautioned Western nations against leveraging the Islamic State threat to justify supporting the PKK or its affiliates.

Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron has reiterated France’s strong support for Kurdish fighters in Syria, highlighting their vital role in the fight against the Islamic State. Despite Syria moving toward Islamist-led leadership, Macron assured that France will continue to stand by the Kurds and will not abandon those fighting for freedom.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)