Turkiye on Wednesday dismissed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s description of the Syrian rebel ousting of President Bashar Assad as an “unfriendly takeover” orchestrated by Ankara.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated, “We wouldn’t call it a takeover, because it would be a grave mistake to present what’s been happening in Syria in those terms. For the Syrian people, it is not a takeover. If there is any takeover, it’s the will of the Syrian people taking over now.”
Assad fled to Russia following a rapid offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), which seized multiple cities, culminating in their advance to the Syrian capital earlier this month.
On Monday, Trump commented on the developments, stating, “The people that went in [to Syria] are controlled by Turkiye, and that’s okay. Turkiye did an unfriendly takeover, without a lot of lives being lost.”
Turkiye, a long-time supporter of opposition forces against Assad since the Syrian uprising began in 2011, has hosted millions of Syrian refugees and supported rebel factions opposing the Syrian regime.
Fidan rejected the characterization of Turkiye as a controlling power in Syria, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation. “The last thing we want is for Turkish domination, Iranian domination, or Arab domination to replace Assad’s rule. Cooperation should be essential,” he said.
Fidan also warned the new Syrian administration to address the presence of Kurdish forces, whom Ankara labels as “terrorists.” He stated, “There is a new administration in Damascus now. This is primarily their concern. If they address this issue properly, there would be no reason for us to intervene.”
Rumors of a potential Turkish offensive on the Kurdish-held town of Kobani, also known as Ain Al-Arab, have grown in recent days. Local witnesses reported increased Turkish military patrols along the border, though no unusual military activity has been observed.
Since 2016, Turkiye has conducted multiple operations targeting Kurdish forces, with Turkish-backed groups capturing several Kurdish-controlled towns in northern Syria in recent weeks.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated, “We wouldn’t call it a takeover, because it would be a grave mistake to present what’s been happening in Syria in those terms. For the Syrian people, it is not a takeover. If there is any takeover, it’s the will of the Syrian people taking over now.”
Assad fled to Russia following a rapid offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), which seized multiple cities, culminating in their advance to the Syrian capital earlier this month.
On Monday, Trump commented on the developments, stating, “The people that went in [to Syria] are controlled by Turkiye, and that’s okay. Turkiye did an unfriendly takeover, without a lot of lives being lost.”
Turkiye, a long-time supporter of opposition forces against Assad since the Syrian uprising began in 2011, has hosted millions of Syrian refugees and supported rebel factions opposing the Syrian regime.
Fidan rejected the characterization of Turkiye as a controlling power in Syria, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation. “The last thing we want is for Turkish domination, Iranian domination, or Arab domination to replace Assad’s rule. Cooperation should be essential,” he said.
Fidan also warned the new Syrian administration to address the presence of Kurdish forces, whom Ankara labels as “terrorists.” He stated, “There is a new administration in Damascus now. This is primarily their concern. If they address this issue properly, there would be no reason for us to intervene.”
Rumors of a potential Turkish offensive on the Kurdish-held town of Kobani, also known as Ain Al-Arab, have grown in recent days. Local witnesses reported increased Turkish military patrols along the border, though no unusual military activity has been observed.
Since 2016, Turkiye has conducted multiple operations targeting Kurdish forces, with Turkish-backed groups capturing several Kurdish-controlled towns in northern Syria in recent weeks.
