Syria’s territorial integrity non-negotiable, PKK/YPG has no place in country: FM Fidan
Leader of new Syrian administration, Ahmed al Sharaa (R) and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (L) hold a joint press conference after their meeting in Damascus, Syria, December 22, 2024. (AA Photo)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Syria’s territorial integrity is non-negotiable, emphasizing that there is no place for the PKK/YPG terror group in the country. He made the statement during a joint press conference with Ahmet al-Sharaa, leader of Syria’s new administration, in Damascus.
“This is not a time to wait and see. We must take action. The territorial integrity of Syria is non-negotiable. We want to reiterate that there is no place for the PKK/YPG in Syria,” Fidan said in joint news conference with Ahmed al Sharaa, leader of the new Syrian administration, in the capital Damascus.
“The Turkish state, its people, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will always stand by Syria and its people,” Fidan added.
The minister said it is “absolutely unacceptable” to tolerate Israel exploiting current situation to seize Syria’s territories, referring to Israel’s recent attacks on Syrian lands after the fall of the Ba’ath regime.
Syria’s darkest period left behind
Foreign Minister Fidan stressed Syria’s darkest period is left behind, and better days are ahead.
Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s regime leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.
With the ouster of Assad, PKK/YPG terrorist group has been seeking to exploit the country’s instability and power vacuum.
In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK, listed as a terror organization by Türkiye, the U.S., and EU, has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 victims, including women, children, infants and the elderly.
The YPG is the PKK’s offshoot in Syria, an area where the group has tried to establish a terror corridor threatening Türkiye along its border.
‘Türkiye supported Syria since the beginning’
Meanwhile, al-Sharaa expressed gratitude, stating that “friendly country, Türkiye” has supported Syrians since the beginning of the revolution.
He said the only arms in Syria will be held by the state, arguing that any armed groups, whether in areas under their control or those under the control of the terrorist PKK/YPG, will not be accepted.
al-Sharaa noted that they also deliberated on the importance of having a strong government, particularly the significance of the Defense Ministry and ensuring that weapons remain under the control of the state.
He also said they talked on how strategic relations between Ankara and Damascus will evolve in the coming days, emphasizing the importance of ties in political, economic, and social fields.
