Turkishโ and Syrian Security Officials too meet in Ankara Amidstโ YPG Concerns
Ankara – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan willโฃ host a โฃdelegation of Syrian โofficials in Ankara on Sunday for discussions focusedโ on bolstering โฃsecurity cooperation between the two nations. The meeting marks a critically important step in ongoing efforts โto de-escalate tensions and address shared โคsecurityโข concerns,โ particularly regarding Kurdish militant groups operating within โขSyria.
Theโ talks come as Tรผrkiye seeks to solidify a path toward normalization โwith the Syrian โฃgovernment,โ a relationship fractured by the Syrian civil war. A joint statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed that Defenceโ Minister Yaลar Gรผler โคand intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalฤฑn will also โparticipate, alongside their Syrian counterparts. This high-level engagement underscores the seriousness with which Ankara views the need โฃfor collaborative security measures, especiallyโค considering recent developments concerning the YPG and the ongoing threat posed by daesh.
Earlier this week,Foreign Minister fidan called on theโ YPG – considered by Tรผrkiye to be a terrorist association linked โto the PKK -โ to relinquish its “separatist agenda,” โฃfollowing โขa declared cease-fire betweenโ the group and the Syrian government. On โคMarch 10th, โฃthe Syrian presidency announced an agreement intended toโ integrate the YPG into โSyrian state institutions, affirming Syria’sโฃ territorial integrity and rejecting separatist ambitions. however, reports indicate the โYPGโ has already breached theโ terms of โคthis agreement.
Tรผrkiye has โฃconsistently maintained that the YPG represents a threat to its national security and has โpreviouslyโฃ launchedโค military operations in northernโ Syria targeting the group.โฃ Alongside addressing the YPG โขissue, Ankara has pledged support forโข Syria’s counter-terrorism efforts against Daesh.โ A military โขcooperation dealโข signed โฃin August outlines Tรผrkiye’s commitmentโ to providing Syriaโข with weapons systems, โlogistical support, and military training.