July 22, 2025 - 6:17 AM
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday warned Kurdish and other groups in Syria against pursuing autonomy, stating that any attempt to divide Syria would be viewed as a direct threat to Turkey’s national security and could prompt intervention.
At a joint news conference with his Salvadoran counterpart in Ankara, where they discussed expanding relations, Fidan criticized Israel’s recent intervention in Syria and urged factions not to exploit the unrest that unfolded in the south of the country for tactical gains, calling on them to integrate while preserving their cultural and religious identity.
“If you go beyond that and use violence to divide and destabilize, we will perceive it as a direct threat to our national security and intervene,” Fidan warned.
“Say whatever you want, make whatever demands you have — as long as it’s not about division, we’re ready to help. But if you cross that line, we won’t leave ourselves exposed to threats,” he said.
Turkey strongly supports Syria’s interim government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, frequently stating its commitment to a unified Syrian state. It also backs an agreement reached between the interim administration and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, to integrate into Syria’s national army.
Fidan’s comments come days after tensions escalated in southern Syria, with violent clashes erupting between Bedouin Arab tribes and Druze militias in Sweida province. The conflict triggered Israeli airstrikes on convoys of government forces in Sweida and struck the Ministry of Defense headquarters in central Damascus, which Israel justified as efforts to protect Druze communities.
“Trying to extract autonomy or independence from chaos built on blood and created with someone else’s help is a perspective that leads nowhere,” Fidan said. “Now is the time for integration. It’s time for everyone to hold onto life while preserving their identity and beliefs.”
Since 2016, Turkey has conducted multiple military operations in northern Syria to counter Kurdish fighters and secure its borders.
News from © The Associated Press, 2025