Syria and Turkey are ‘one state, one army’: Turkish defense ministry
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey is willing to fight Syrian Kurdish-led forces alongside Damascus and considers the two countries "one state, one army," a Turkish defense ministry spokepserson warned on Thursday.
Ankara views Syria and Turkey’s security as closely interlinked and could intervene militarily if the Syrian government asks for support, Turkish media quoted the ministry spokesman as saying.
“We would like to reiterate that we do not view Syria’s security as separate from our own, and that, in line with the principle of ‘one state, one army,’ we will provide support, upon request, to Syria’s fight against terrorist organizations on the basis of the country’s unity and territorial integrity,” the defense ministry official said at a press conference.
Turkey considers the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) a terrorist organization, maintaining it is backed by Turkey’s outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK.) The SDF denies the accusation.
The comments came after a week of fierce clashes between Kurdish forces and the Syrian Arab Army, who drove Kurdish forces out of Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo and attacked the SDF positions in the north.
Shortly after a ceasefire took effect in Aleppo, the Syrian army’s Operations Command on Tuesday declared additional Kurdish-held areas - Deir Hafer, Maskanah, and surrounding districts in eastern Aleppo - as “closed military zones.”
These areas, controlled by SDF, have in recent months been flashpoints for Damascus-aligned factions, which view their capture as a means to open a logistical corridor linking Aleppo to Raqqa province and to increase military pressure on the SDF along the Euphrates River.
Control of eastern Aleppo would be strategically significant, allowing Damascus and its allies to establish a supply route between Aleppo and Raqqa in north-central Syria while intensifying pressure on SDF positions along the river.
Turkey is a major ally of the transitional Damascus government and supports militant groups controlling territory in northern Syria.
The SDF has claimed Turkish drones were used to attack SDF positions in Aleppo, while Syrian forces accused the SDF of using Iranian-made drones. There is no confirmed relationship between Iran and the SDF, which is a key military ally of the United States in their joint fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.
The defense ministry’s statement diverged from comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday, who said Syria could launch additional military operations against Kurdish-led forces.
“I hope it doesn't come to that point ... but when problems are not solved through dialogue, unfortunately, I see from here that the use of force is also an option for the Syrian government," Fidan said at a press conference in Istanbul, according to Reuters.
Earlier this week, the US Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, met with Fidan in Ankara to discuss Syria and other issues, calling the talks “productive and candid.”
“The United States values our strong partnership with Türkiye and remains committed to working together to advance regional stability and address shared challenges, including our ongoing efforts in Syria,” he said in a post on X following the meeting.
Ankara views Syria and Turkey’s security as closely interlinked and could intervene militarily if the Syrian government asks for support, Turkish media quoted the ministry spokesman as saying.
“We would like to reiterate that we do not view Syria’s security as separate from our own, and that, in line with the principle of ‘one state, one army,’ we will provide support, upon request, to Syria’s fight against terrorist organizations on the basis of the country’s unity and territorial integrity,” the defense ministry official said at a press conference.
Turkey considers the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) a terrorist organization, maintaining it is backed by Turkey’s outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK.) The SDF denies the accusation.
The comments came after a week of fierce clashes between Kurdish forces and the Syrian Arab Army, who drove Kurdish forces out of Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafiyeh in Aleppo and attacked the SDF positions in the north.
Shortly after a ceasefire took effect in Aleppo, the Syrian army’s Operations Command on Tuesday declared additional Kurdish-held areas - Deir Hafer, Maskanah, and surrounding districts in eastern Aleppo - as “closed military zones.”
These areas, controlled by SDF, have in recent months been flashpoints for Damascus-aligned factions, which view their capture as a means to open a logistical corridor linking Aleppo to Raqqa province and to increase military pressure on the SDF along the Euphrates River.
Control of eastern Aleppo would be strategically significant, allowing Damascus and its allies to establish a supply route between Aleppo and Raqqa in north-central Syria while intensifying pressure on SDF positions along the river.
Turkey is a major ally of the transitional Damascus government and supports militant groups controlling territory in northern Syria.
The SDF has claimed Turkish drones were used to attack SDF positions in Aleppo, while Syrian forces accused the SDF of using Iranian-made drones. There is no confirmed relationship between Iran and the SDF, which is a key military ally of the United States in their joint fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria.
The defense ministry’s statement diverged from comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday, who said Syria could launch additional military operations against Kurdish-led forces.
“I hope it doesn't come to that point ... but when problems are not solved through dialogue, unfortunately, I see from here that the use of force is also an option for the Syrian government," Fidan said at a press conference in Istanbul, according to Reuters.
Earlier this week, the US Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, met with Fidan in Ankara to discuss Syria and other issues, calling the talks “productive and candid.”
“The United States values our strong partnership with Türkiye and remains committed to working together to advance regional stability and address shared challenges, including our ongoing efforts in Syria,” he said in a post on X following the meeting.