Turkey to Maintain Military Operations in Syria Until Kurdish Forces Completely Disarm

Ankara, Dec 19 (NationPress) Turkey will persist in its military operations in northern Syria until Kurdish fighters are completely disarmed, as reported by the semi-official Anadolu Agency on Thursday, citing a source from the Defence Ministry.

The source emphasized the ongoing threats posed by Kurdish forces within Syria to Turkey's southern border, stating, "Our counter-terrorism measures and preparations will continue until terrorist groups surrender their weapons and their foreign fighters exit Syria."

This statement was made in response to claims that the Turkish Armed Forces and the Syrian National Army, a coalition of armed groups supported by Turkey, are gearing up for operations against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in the eastern Euphrates region.

Turkey regards the YPG as a branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, having been in rebellion against the Turkish government for over three decades.

Since 2016, the Turkish military has conducted several operations in northern Syria with the aim of establishing a YPG-free zone along its border with the neighboring nation.

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Ankara would not permit Syria to turn into a conflict zone or be divided once again.

"Any attack on the stability of the new Syrian government or the integrity of ancient Syrian lands will confront both the Syrian populace and us," Erdogan mentioned during a ruling party meeting, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

"We cannot accept any actions or provocations aimed at hindering the return of our Syrian brothers and sisters to their homes," he added.

Syrian militant groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a significant offensive from northern Syria starting on November 27, advancing southward through government-controlled areas and capturing the capital, Damascus, within 12 days.

After the offensive, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad resigned and sought asylum in Russia.

Mohammed al-Bashir, an electrical engineer and leader of the 'Syrian Salvation Government' in Idlib, established in 2017 by HTS and other Syrian militant factions during the civil war, has been assigned to lead a transitional government in Syria until early March 2025.