Devlet Bahçeli, chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the main ally of the government, held talks with visiting commanders of the Syrian National Army (SNA) in the capital of Ankara.
The party’s social media account on Wednesday shared photos of Bahçeli with Seyf Ebubekir Polat, who heads a special forces branch of the Second Corps of SNA, Muhammet Casim, who commands Süleyman Şah Division of the army and Tarık Sülo Cevizci, president of Federation of Syrian Turkmen Associations. The party said it was the delegation’s second visit, where they “exchanged views with Mr. Bahçeli on the situation in the region and received his blessings.”
Federation of Syrian Turkmen Associations said in a social media post that Bahçeli reiterated his support for Turkmens in Syria during the meeting and expressed pleasure with operations of SNA in Tal Rifaat and Manbij, towns recaptured from the terrorist group PKK/YPG.
Turkmen of Syria are among the most significant minorities in the country, according to researchers, though their exact number is unknown due to a lack of official figures. During Syria’s conflict that ended with the fall of the Assad regime earlier this month, they played key roles in Syrian opposition forces. Syria’s Turkmen trace their roots to Turks who settled in the country during the lengthy Ottoman rule, which ended in the early 20th century.