Turkish Foreign Minister rejects Trump’s claim of ‘unfriendly takeover’ by Turkey in Syria syrian war news
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has refuted incoming United States President Donald Trump’s claim that the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was an “unfriendly takeover” by Turkey.
Apparently praising Ankara, Trump said at a news conference earlier this week that Turkiye was “very smart” and had carried out “an unfriendly takeover without losing a lot of lives” in Syria.
In an interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Wednesday, Turkey’s foreign minister said it would be “a serious mistake” to describe current events in Syria as a Turkish takeover.
“For the Syrian people, this is not a takeover. I think if there is an occupation, it is the will of the Syrian people who are now occupying,” Fidan said.
The foreign minister also said the “last thing” the Turks want is to be seen as a regional power that has ultimate control over Syria, pointing to a culture of domination that has ruined the region.
Fidan said, “Well, I think that would be the last thing we want to see because we are taking a huge lesson from what is happening in our region, because the culture of dominance is what destroyed our region. Is.” “No Turkish dominance, no Iranian dominance, no Arab dominance, but cooperation must be necessary,” he said.
“Our solidarity with the Syrian people today should not be portrayed or defined as if…we are actually ruling Syria. I think that would be wrong,” he said.
Asked about US media reporting on concerns that Turkish forces may be preparing to launch a major military offensive in Syria to crush Kurdish forces hostile to Turkey, the Secretary of State said the YPG (People’s Protection Units) as a “critical threat”. For your country.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) armed group is listed as a “terrorist organization” by Turkey and the West, and Fidan has described the YPG as an “extension” of the PKK in Syria.
The YPG has maintained its control of territory in Syria by presenting itself as helping the West in the fight against ISIL (ISIS), the foreign minister said. “I think this is a misrepresentation of his true identity. They are there as a terrorist organization,” Fidan said.
He said, “Unfortunately, our Western friends… turn a blind eye to the fact that the YPG is an extension of the PKK.” The YPG is the main combat element.
Fidan also said Syria’s new government should deal with the issue of Kurdish forces on its own territory, which would avoid the need for Ankara to take action.
“There is now a new administration in Damascus. I think this is their main concern now. So, I think if they are going to do that, if they address the issue properly, there will be no reason for us to interfere,” he said.
Local witnesses told French news agency AFP there had been an increase in the number of troops patrolling the Turkish side of the border, but no apparent unusual military activity.
Fidan also said that Turkey recognizes the new administration in Syria as a “legitimate partner” for Ankara, which is why the Turkish Embassy in Damascus has reopened and the ambassador has been granted access to local and central government officials. Instructions have been given to communicate with.
Officials from the United Nations, the European Union and other countries have also made contacts with the new administration, Fidan said, adding that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group – whose leader is Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani is the de facto leader in Syria – he should be listed as a ‘terrorist’ organisation.
“I think it’s time for the international community, from the United Nations to, you know, remove their name from the terrorism list,” Fidan said of HTS, which is part of the coalition currently ruling Syria. Is the main component.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged over the weekend that Washington is in contact with HTS, and that discussions with the group were in the broader context of Syria’s future.
The US State Department placed HTS on its list of “foreign terrorist organizations” in May 2018 due to its affiliation with the al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front.
Since 2016, HTS’s al-Shar’a has moved to distance the organization from al-Qaeda and establish itself and HTS as Syria’s reliable caretakers in the post-Assad period.