Erdogan Signals Turkish Action in Northern Syria Against US-Backed Groups

What’s New

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated a possible intervention in Syria against militia groups backed by the U.S. following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Amid reports of clashes in northern Syria, Turkish-backed fighters are facing off against the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led forces near the border town of Kobani and the Tishrin dam on the Euphrates River.

Why It Matters

Turkey views the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a terrorist organization due to its ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group banned by Ankara.

Erdogan praised the growing number of countries engaging with Syria’s new leadership, calling it “a sign of trust” in the emerging administration. He added that Turkey would support efforts to build new state institutions in the country.

What To Know

Following the fall of Assad’s regime a few weeks ago, tensions across the Middle East have continued to remain high prompting concerns from countries in the area.

After 14 years of civil war, the rise of Sunni Arab rebels, backed by Turkey, has intensified challenges for Syria’s Kurdish minority, threatening their hard-won autonomy in the country’s oil-rich east.

Turkey’s long-standing opposition to Kurdish autonomy remains a pivotal challenge. It views the SDF, a primarily Kurdish militia, as an extension of Kurdish insurgents within its own borders.

The U.S.-backed SDF force has urged residents of northern Syria to take up arms and defend against Turkish troops and their allied fighters, declaring that “resistance is the only way to victory.”

The SDF announced earlier this week that U.S.-led mediation efforts had failed to secure a lasting truce in northern Syria between its fighters and Turkish-backed militias.

What People Are Saying

Erdogan said, “We will show that the time has come to neutralize the terrorist organizations present in Syria … We will do this to prevent any further threats coming from the south of our borders.” He added, “The end of the road for the terrorist organizations is near. There is no room for terrorists in the future of the region. The shelf life of the PKK terrorist organization and its extensions has run out.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken: spoke about the rebellion in Syria and said that the U.S. has “been in contact” with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, who led the opposition groups to topple Assad’s regime. “Our message to the Syrian people is this: We want them to succeed and we’re prepared to help them do so,” Blinken said.

What’s Next

Erdogan also said this week that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to visit Syria in the near future. It is unclear how the U.S. would respond to any possible intervention by Turkish troops against SDF forces in Syria.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press