Türkiye believes all armed groups in neighboring Syria must gather under one roof, the state military, after the ousting of regime leader Bashar Assad in December.
“Integrating the factions into one military umbrella that has the legitimacy to bear arms and use force is one of the most important issues facing the new administration,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Saudi television network Asharq News in an interview published Monday.
Otherwise, Fidan warned, the presence of armed groups linked to different parties paves the way for another civil war, “which cannot be accepted.”
Assad, whose family had ruled Syria with an iron first for 54 years, was toppled by anti-regime forces on Dec. 8, bringing an abrupt end to a devastating 13-year civil war that had created one of the biggest refugee crises of modern times, as well as dozens of armed factions across the country.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the most organized of the groups, has since established itself as Syria’s de facto ruler after coordinating with the southern fighters during the lighting-fast offensive.
Wariness among the southern factions since then, however, has highlighted questions about how the interim administration can bring together a patchwork of former opposition groups.
“The forces that opposed the Assad regime, whether in the south or the groups supported by Türkiye in the north and the HTS, should come together under the umbrella of the National Army,” Fidan said, pointing out the exception of the PKK’s Syrian wing YPG, which went down the path of reconciliation with Assad.
According to Fidan, Türkiye has asked the factions in the north, whose numbers exceed 80,000 fighters, to join Syria’s new National Army to prevent an emergence of unrest in the country.
“I hope the groups in the south, Daraa and Sweida, will follow this path,” Fidan noted.
HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa has called for a unified national army and security forces. The country’s interim defense minister has begun meeting with armed groups, some of which remain cautious.
PKK/YPG problem
Regarding Türkiye’s expectations from Syria’s new leadership, Fidan said the new administration must form a structure that does not pose a threat to the region and never allow terrorism to exist, chiefly the PKK/YPG and Daesh.
“We need an equation that guarantees that Daesh detainees remain in prisons, that the YPG abandon terrorist activities and that the rights of the Kurds are preserved,” Fidan said.
Ankara views the U.S.-backed YPG as an extension of the PKK, which killed thousands of people in the country since the 1980s.
Fidan said the YPG “cannot hold on to their weapons, as this is a Syrian problem in itself and as for the problem that concerns Türkiye, these units are an extension of the PKK, which includes more than 2,000 foreign terrorist elements from Türkiye, Iran and Europe.”
As the civil war escalated in Syria, the terrorist groups Daesh and PKK/YPG emerged as major threats, especially in the country’s north. Fearing spillover of the violence and in support of Syrian opposition forces and civilians displaced by terrorists, Türkiye launched a string of cross-border offensives into the country between 2016 and 2019.
Syria’s de-facto leader al-Sharaa last week similarly warned the risk of Syria’s division will persist if the PKK/YPG does not lay down its arms but said his administration will explore diplomatic venues first to prevent further bloodshed.
He also assured Syria was “ready for all forms of cooperation to ensure Türkiye’s border security.”
Demands from Damascus
The new Syrian administration has urged the PKK/YPG to lay down arms as it has all armed groups, Fidan recalled.
“They want to ensure all minorities and sects hold equal status within Syrian society, which is what both we and Syria want. Therefore, the YPG’s refusal to disband is unacceptable,” Fidan stressed.
The new Syrian administration avoids any step that would pose a threat to its surroundings and does not leave any room for terrorist organizations such as Daesh and the PKK, in addition to treating minorities in the country well, forming an inclusive government and ensuring national unity and political independence are demands Türkiye and the international community have emphasized during visits to Damascus, Fidan said.
U.S. factor
Fidan said Ankara was prepared to provide support to the new Syrian administration to take over the detention centers holding Daesh terrorists, “especially since the U.S.’ priority is to ensure that these detainees do not leave prisons.”
The PKK/YPG benefited from the U.S. partnership as Washington sees them as a key ally against Daesh. Terrorists captured towns previously held by Daesh.
Turkish-U.S. ties have been strained over Washington’s support of the terrorist group.
“The U.S. has used the YPG against Daesh and to keep Daesh detainees in prison. We told (the U.S.) this was wrong and Daesh could be confronted another way. The group poses a massive threat to Türkiye’s national security and they are aware of this,” Fidan said.
He also cited the U.S. designation of the PKK as a terrorist organization and its offering of $5 million in rewards for anyone who brings in PKK leaders.
“Obama had previously said that this cooperation (with the YPG) was temporary, then Trump came and worked to end this cooperation and support, but some parties in the U.S. administration at the time opposed this and as a result, the Republican president began, during his new presidential term, to appoint figures who would enable him to pass on his ideas and instructions.”
In the new Trump era, he hopes Türkiye and the U.S. can work together “with the highest level of understanding” on counterterrorism, regional security and the safety of their countries.