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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday slammed Israel for its destabilizing policies on Syria and YPG for “undermining” Syria’s efforts to reestablish itself after more than a decade of civil war.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Fidan said Israel had “fueled certain difficulties” in Syria and made the country its target of expansionism in the region.
Syrian instability
“Any sign of instability and chaos benefits Israel,” he said and warned that Israeli security “cannot be achieved through undermining the security of your neighbors.”
“To the contrary, you should make sure your neighboring countries are prosperous and secure. If you try to destabilize these countries, if you take steps to that end, this could trigger other crises in the region.”
Since Syrian leader Bashar Assad was ousted in December 2024, the new interim government in Damascus has been working to restore stability across the country after nearly 25 years of authoritarian rule.
Ankara, which developed cordial ties with the transitional government, has pledged to continue supporting Syria’s political unity and territorial integrity, providing training and technical support upon request from Damascus to strengthen its fight against terrorist groups.
Most recently, hundreds were killed in clashes in the southern province of Suwayda between Druze groups, Bedouin tribes and Israeli military attacks. Suwayda has observed a cease-fire since July 19 but tensions remained high.
YPG threat
Meanwhile, tensions have also risen between the central government and the YPG, the U.S.-backed Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist group.
With U.S. support under the pretext of fighting Daesh, YPG seized large swaths of northern and eastern Syria during the civil war, occupying key oil, water and agricultural resources. Turkish cross-border operations have since reduced its grip, but the group remains entrenched in several areas.
The terrorist group has signed a March 10 deal with Syria’s interim government recognizing Damascus’ sovereignty and stipulating its integration into the Syrian army. Ankara is closely monitoring the process, which is expected to conclude by year’s end.
However, the YPG’s insistence on entering the army as one bloc has stalled the process and there have been scattered outbreaks of violence.
Using the Druze unrest in Suwayda as an excuse, the YPG also demanded “autonomy” under the guise of “decentralization.” With Israeli encouragement, they sought to build a bridge between the Druze and the YPG.
The YPG’s push for decentralization and symbolic changes, such as altering the country’s name, is widely seen by Türkiye as part of a broader effort to entrench separatist control in Syria’s north.
Fidan accused the YPG of trying to turn instability in Syria into an “opportunity for themselves.”
Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the PKK, which recently announced its dissolution and began a disarmament process that will end 40 years of bloodshed in Türkiye. The YPG insists it not a party to the disarmament.
“The upper echelons of the YPG need to stop stalling because the chaos they’re waiting for (in Syria) will not take place, and even if it does, it will not be to their advantage,” Fidan said.
He also urged the YPG to “quit forcing Syria’s Kurds to be puppets of Israel.”
He added: “We are seeing developments we can no longer tolerate. The terrorists are not leaving Syria.”
Türkiye is at a stage where it cannot tolerate YPG’s presence in northern Syria any longer, Fidan said.
He stressed that Türkiye was “not after occupation but we will also not be in a position where we are deceived.”
“My call to the YPG is that they should immediately remove themselves as a threat to Türkiye and the region, along with the terrorists they have gathered from around the world,” Fidan said.
“They shouldn’t take us for fools. We have good intentions, but that doesn’t mean we will turn a blind eye to your mischievous or devious ways,” he said.
The minister emphasized Türkiye’s vision for a post-conflict Syria, noting: “The new Syria should be a Syria, where all peoples, beliefs, and cultures are preserved, and can live together. As Türkiye, we are making our recommendations in this direction.”
“Every actor in the region is not as constructive as us,” Fidan said. “There are certain people who have been meddling in the affairs of Syria, chief among whom is the Israeli administration.”
Al-Shibani, meanwhile, said Israel’s actions “undermine the security of our citizens,” adding that “certain countries want Syria to disintegrate based on ideologies, based on ethnicity, and obviously we are against all these efforts.”
He said the Druze community remains an integral part of Syrian society, dismissing Israeli claims suggesting otherwise. “There is no intent to exclude them (Druze community) in any way,” he said.
“What happened in Suwayda was instigated by Israel to sow sectarian discord in the region,” he added.
“We share many common interests and threats with Türkiye, and caution against supporting chaos in Syria,” he added.
Al-Shaibani said, along with Fidan, they stressed the importance of coordination on security and military matters to safeguard borders and combat terrorism.
He considered the “Hasakah Conference,” held by the components of northeastern Syria, a violation of the March 10 deal with the YPG.
