Turkey offers military support to new Syrian government

ANKARA,— Turkey’s Defense Minister Yasar Guler announced Sunday that Ankara is prepared to offer military support to Syria’s newly formed Islamist rebel-led government if requested.

The Islamist-led administration was established after rebels ousted longtime leader Bashar al-Assad.

“We are ready to provide the necessary support if the new administration asks for it,” Guler said, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency and other media outlets.

He emphasized that the new leadership deserves “a chance” to govern.

The new government in Syria, backed by the pro-Turkey Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) alliance, has pledged to respect international institutions, including the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

HTS, rooted in al-Qaeda’s former branch in Syria, is listed as a terrorist group by several Western governments.

However, the group has recently sought to project a more moderate image, with its transitional leadership vowing to uphold the rights of all Syrians and ensure the rule of law.

While Guler did not specify what military assistance Turkey might provide, he noted that Ankara has ongoing defense cooperation agreements with multiple countries.

“We will evaluate what steps the new administration will take and support them as needed,” Guler said.

Turkey fears the creation of a Kurdish autonomous region in Syrian Kurdistan could encourage separatism amongst its own Kurds, according to analysts.

Guler also underscored Turkey’s primary focus in Syria: eliminating Kurdish separatist groups, which Ankara views as a threat to its national security. The defense minister stated that both Turkey and the new Syrian administration are aligned in their opposition to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian affiliate, the People’s Defense Units (YPG).

“In this new era, the PKK/YPG terrorist organization will be eradicated from Syria, sooner or later. This is a shared objective of both Turkey and the new administration,” Guler said.

Turkey has long opposed the YPG, which leads the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Despite its critical role in defeating the Islamic State (IS) in 2019, Ankara sees the YPG as an extension of the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey.

“We have no issues with our Kurdish brothers in Iraq or Syria,” Guler added. “Our problem is solely with terrorist groups.”

Turkey’s stance on the YPG has created friction with Washington, which considers the SDF vital in preventing an IS resurgence. The U.S. has provided arms and support to the Kurdish-led forces, a move that Turkey continues to oppose.

“We’ve communicated our position clearly to our American counterparts,” Guler said. “We expect them to reconsider their approach.”

The YPG is the backbone of the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), northeastern Syria. Since its establishment in 2018, the administration has implemented a model of decentralized governance emphasizing gender equality, direct democracy, and environmental sustainability.

The Kurdish-led forces played a pivotal role in driving IS out of its final stronghold in Baghouz in 2019. Thousands of IS fighters remain detained in Kurdish-run prisons, while the region continues to manage the fallout of years of conflict.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also weighed in on Friday, reiterating Turkey’s intention to work with Syria’s new government to address the Kurdish issue. He urged the YPG leadership to leave Syria, stating, “The elimination of the YPG is a strategic priority for Turkey.”

As the new administration takes shape in Syria, Turkey appears ready to leverage its influence, hoping to reshape the region’s political and security dynamics. However, its approach—particularly toward Kurdish forces—is likely to remain a source of tension with the U.S. and other international allies.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)