Turkish FM says ‘we won’t allow Israel to divide Syria,’ issues warning to Kurds

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of attempting to divide Syria and warned that Turkey and neighboring countries would not allow such efforts to succeed.

Fidan’s accusations come against the backdrop of recent clashes in Syria’s Druze-populated southern Suwayda province, during which Israel conducted airstrikes targeting Syrian government forces.

The situation took a different turn with Israel’s intervention under the pretext of protecting the Druze,” Fidan said today during a joint press conference in Ankara with his Salvadoran counterpart Alexandra Hill.

“Israel is clearly trying to sabotage all efforts aimed at establishing peace, stability, and security in Syria,” Fidan asserted.

“The fact is, Israel does not want to see a stable country in its neighborhood and aims to divide Syria,” he said, adding that Turkey and other regional states would resist such moves.

The FM argued that Turkey, one of the countries most impacted by regional insecurity, is nonetheless pursuing a broader vision of stability. “That’s the foundation of our relations with Iraq, Syria, and Iran. But Israel is pursuing the opposite path, deliberately weakening and destabilizing its surroundings. The latest developments in Syria are a reflection of that policy.”

The Suwayda clashes, which began on Jul 13 between Druze residents and Bedouin Arab tribes, resulted in over 1,100 deaths, including civilians, and displaced more than 93,000 people, according to UN figures.

During the fighting, Israel struck not only Syrian army units intervening the clashes around Suwaida but also key sites in Damascus, including the Defense Ministry and the Presidential Palace.

A ceasefire came into effect yesterday requires armed groups from other provinces to fully withdraw and mandates the pullback of all Defense and Interior Ministry forces from Suwayda’s administrative boundaries. The agreement also prohibits the entry of any military forces into the province in the future.

Message to Kurds

In his speech, Fidan also issued a warning to groups operating in Syria, without naming any specific organization, though his remarks appeared to target the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in the country’s east.

“No group should pursue any agenda that seeks division. There is much to discuss through diplomacy,” he remarked. “Everything can be discussed—and is being discussed—with all groups and elements. But if you go beyond that and use violence to divide and destabilize, we will see it as a direct threat to our national security and respond accordingly.

“Discuss anything except partition. State your demands, and we’ll support whatever we can. But once you cross that line, we will not sit by while our security is threatened.”

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) controls nearly a quarter of Syrian territory under the name of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

Although the SDF has engaged in negotiations with the Damascus government in recent months, no agreement has been reached. Both Turkey and the Syrian government oppose autonomous regions and seek to integrate the SDF into state structures.

Turkey also views the SDF as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group, which recently announced its decision to dissolve as part of an ongoing peace process in Turkey.  The PKK has formally begun laying down arms with a ceremonial event held this month in line with a call by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Turkey wants the SDF to join the disarmament process. However, the SDF has stated that Öcalan’s call does not apply to them. (VK)