Turkey may conduct a military operation against the Kurds in Syria if they fail to meet Ankara’s demands, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated in an interview with CNN Türk.
Ankara demanded that the leaders of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (YPG) leave Syria. The remaining members of the organisation must disarm and cooperate with the newly established authorities.
«This is a bloodless and peaceful transition. On the other hand, Syrian Kurds who are not members of the YPG should integrate and lead normal lives without any harm to their lives or property,» Fidan emphasised.
The foreign minister also assured that the new Syrian authorities would guarantee the rights of the Kurds.
It is worth noting that Ankara designates the YPG as a terrorist organisation. The party was founded in November 1978. Initially advocating for the establishment of an independent Kurdistan, it shifted its focus in 1995 to fighting for Kurdish autonomy within Turkey.
Beyond Syria, the organisation also controls territories in Iran and Iraq and continues guerrilla warfare within Turkey.
