Türkiye sees defense cooperation with the new Syrian administration as an “important” step in the interest of both countries as well as regional stability, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
In the ministry’s last weekly press briefing this year, spokesperson Zeki Akturk said bilateral cooperation with Syria is a priority for Türkiye in terms of both national and regional stability.
Akturk, stressing that a new chapter has been opened in post-Assad Syria after a dark era, stated: "We support steps toward peace, tranquility, and stability, and we affirm the necessity of preserving the territorial integrity and unitary structure of our southern neighbor."
He added: "We reiterate our support for the new Syrian administration's call and efforts for a unified army, as well as our desire to work jointly with the Syrian administration on combating terrorism.”
“We emphasize once again that there will be no place for terrorist entities, including Daesh/ISIS, the PKK/YPG, or their extensions, in Syria's and our region's future, and we will not allow them,” he underlined, referring to the Syrian offshoot of the PKK, a terrorist group that over the decades is responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people.
“Efforts to ensure the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of Syrians will continue, and as always, we will stand by the Syrian people in the future as we have until now," he said. During the Syrian civil war, Türkiye took in some 4 million Syrians, more than any other country in the world.
He stressed the importance of defense cooperation between the Turkish Armed Forces and Syria's new administration in the coming days, calling it not only a significant opportunity for the interests of both countries but also for regional peace and stability.
"With Türkiye's strong defense industry infrastructure, expertise in defense technologies, and the combat experience of its military, which is an example for many countries, we believe it will make significant contributions to enhancing Syria's security and defense capacities," he said.
Pointing to Türkiye's ongoing preventive operations carried out domestically and across borders to entirely eliminate the terrorist threat to Türkiye and also contribute to the region's security and stability, Akturk said: "In the past week, there have been 72 harassment and attack attempts on our units, 17 in Iraq and 55 in Syrian operational areas.”
“Immediate and proportional responses to these harassment and attacks, which also harm civilians in the region, along with ongoing operations, have neutralized 62 terrorists in the past week, including northern Iraq and Syria,” he noted. “Thus, the number of terrorists neutralized this year has reached 3,021."
Akturk added that, in the past week, two PKK terrorists surrendered to border posts, and a cave discovered during search operations in northern Iraq contained numerous weapons, ammunition, and supplies.
'Syria belongs to Syrians'
"Syria has entered a new era. Syria now belongs to Syrians. As we have done so far, we will continue to stand by the Syrian people in the future,” Akturk said.
“In this context, without compromising the fight against terrorism, we will maintain close cooperation and coordination with the new administration to ensure Syria's territorial integrity, political unity, security, and stability," he stressed.
Both Manbij and Tishrin Dam in northern Syria, near the Turkish border, are under the control of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, and claims of terrorist advances in these areas do not reflect the reality on the ground, he added.
"The lies of the terrorist group (PKK/YPG), which is trying to paint itself as if it were in a good position, must not be believed,” he said. “The PKK/YPG terrorist organization will either lay down its arms or be eliminated.”
“Non-Syrian members of the terrorist group will leave Syria. Those who are Syrian citizens will lay down their weapons, and the Syrian administration will determine whether and how they will be integrated into the new system,” Akturk said.
“Through our statements and meetings with the new Syrian administration, we convey that the terrorist organization has no choice but to disarm, and that our determination on this matter is absolute,” he stressed.
“We see that we are in agreement with the new Syrian administration on this issue," he added.
In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants and the elderly. The YPG is PKK's Syrian offshoot.
The terrorist PKK/YPG has sought to exploit the uncertainty since the Assad regime’s fall to step up efforts to establish a “terrorist corridor” along the border with Türkiye.
Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks. Anti-regime fighters claimed control of Dier ez-Zor city center on Dec. 11.
