Turkish President Vows to Intervene if Syria Disintegrates

(CLO) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affirmed that Türkiye will intervene if Syria faces the risk of disintegration after the overthrow of President Bashar Assad's regime last month.

"We do not accept any form of breaking the unity of Syria. If risks appear, Türkiye will act quickly," Mr. Erdoğan said at a press conference on January 6.

Türkiye now supports the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group that is running the new government in Syria, putting Ankara in a position to influence the country’s new leaders. However, Türkiye still sees Syrian Kurdish forces, especially the People’s Protection Units (YPG), as a direct threat.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Photo: Facebook/RTErdogan

The Kurdish-controlled area in Syria is overseen by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of which the YPG plays a key role. Ankara accuses the YPG of having links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group Türkiye has considered a terrorist organization since the 1980s.

"The only fate of those who choose terror and violence is to be buried with their weapons. No force can prevent this," Erdoğan stressed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also stated that the removal of the YPG from Syria is inevitable, affirming that Ankara will not allow the group to continue its presence in neighboring Syria. In the past, Türkiye has conducted several military operations into Syrian territory since the civil war broke out in 2011.

In addition to Türkiye, Israel has also expressed concern about the security situation in Syria. After the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on targets in Syria and has taken control of the demilitarized buffer zone established under the 1974 ceasefire. Many critics say Israel has violated the agreement and sought to expand its influence in the border area.

Ngoc Anh (according to TKP, AJ, Politico)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-tho-nhi-ky-tuyen-bo-se-can-thiep-neu-syria-tan-ra-post329329.html