Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is threatening military action against the PKK-linked YPG if it fails to meet Ankara's demands.
Turkey has threatened to launch a military campaign against Kurdish forces in Syria unless they accept Ankara's terms for a “bloodless” transition following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad last month.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told CNN Turk television late Tuesday that “we will do what is necessary” if the People's Protection Units (YPG) fail to meet Ankara's demands. Turkiye wants to establish itself as an important player as its neighbor to the south stabilizes.
Fidan said “military action” could be on the cards, although he added that the new Syrian leadership, which Turkiye has expressed support for, has the power to fight the YPG on its own.
The overthrow of Al-Assad by opposition forces last month has raised hopes that Turkey will intervene directly in the Kurdish forces in Syria, which Ankara accuses of having links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The PKK has been fighting the Turkish government for decades. Turkey, along with the United States and the European Union, has long considered it a “terrorist organization”. The conflict is estimated to have killed more than 40,000 people.
The presence of the YPG in Syria remains central to Turkey's security strategy as it considers the two groups to be linked and share a common ethno-nationalist divide.
“Those international fighters from Turkey, Iran and Iraq must leave Syria immediately. We don't see any preparations or intention for this right now and we are waiting,” Fidan told CNN Turk.
Turkish-backed groups in northern Syria resumed their war with Kurdish forces when the rebels launched an offensive on November 27 that ousted al-Assad 11 days later.
'Give it time'
Syria's new interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham party has long had ties to Turkey, told Al Arabiya TV on Sunday that Kurdish-led forces must be integrated into the national army.
Fidan, who met with al-Sharaa in Damascus last month, said Ankara expects a new leadership to deal with the YPG crisis, although he added that he was ready to “give it time” with ongoing talks between Damascus and the YPG.
“Terrorists from international countries must leave Syria, the leadership of the PKK must leave the country. The remaining parties must lay down their weapons and join the new system, this is for a bloodless and trouble-free change.”
When asked if Turkiye will still intervene in Syria despite the YPG's support from the US, Fidan said: “We have done it in the past in Afrin, Ras al-Ain and Tal Abyad”, referring to the areas in northern Syria that Turkiye holds. target.
He said Turkiye would not hesitate to do it again. “This is what is needed for the security of our country. We have no other choice.”
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