BEIRUT — On Saturday, Turkey’s foreign minister indicated that the nation might reassess its military involvement in northeastern Syria, contingent upon the new leadership in Syria dismantling a Kurdish militant organization that Turkey, the United States, and the European Union have designated as a terrorist group.
Hakan Fidan made these comments during his attendance at the Munich Security Conference, where he was joined by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, who chose not to respond to the statements made by Fidan. This is not the first time Fidan has conveyed such views regarding the Kurdish presence.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has been involved in an armed conflict with Turkey for several decades, advocating for greater Kurdish autonomy. “We cannot accept armed militias in any format,” Fidan stated, suggesting that all armed groups should be incorporated “under one national army” in Syria, further noting that the new leadership has shown a willingness to consider this proposal.
Al-Shaibani did express support for the disarmament of all non-state military factions and emphasized the importance of integrating Kurds into the governance of Syria’s new administration. The presence of Turkish-backed forces in northeastern Syria has seen remarkable growth since insurgent groups removed former President Bashar Assad last year, with these forces increasingly targeting Kurdish units.
Turkey perceives the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—a Kurdish military coalition supported by the U.S.—as a direct offshoot of the PKK, leading to ongoing clashes between Turkish-backed forces and the SDF in northern Syria. While several insurgent groups have agreed to become part of the newly formulated Syrian army, the SDF has declined this offer.
Another panelist at the same conference, Hind Kabawat from the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution, remarked, “Kurds are indeed part of the Syrian identity, but they cannot maintain their own army as this contradicts our unity.”
