Kurdish Security Crucial for Syria’s Future
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, during her visit to Ankara on Friday, stressed the critical importance of Kurdish security for Syria’s future. Speaking to journalists after her meeting with her Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Baerbock stated, “Security, especially for the Kurds, is essential for a free and safe future for Syria,” warning of the risks of any escalation against Kurdish forces in the country.
Earlier on Friday
Baerbock raised alarms about new outbreaks of violence in northern Syria between the Turkish military, Turkish-backed Syrian factions, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Turkey considers the SDF an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been engaged in an armed insurgency against it since the 1980s. A source from the Turkish Defense Ministry on Thursday declared that Ankara would not back down until Kurdish fighters are disarmed.
While an alliance of opposition factions, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launched a surprise attack
leading to the fall of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, parallel operations by Turkey-supported
groups against the SDF in northern Syria have sparked deadly clashes, resulting in hundreds of
casualties within days.
Baerbock highlighted the displacement of “thousands of Kurds from Manbij and other areas in
Syria,” either fleeing or fearing new outbreaks of violence. She emphasized, “I clarified today that
our shared security interests should not be jeopardized due to escalation with the Kurds in Syria.”
In response
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told his German counterpart that armed Kurdish groups,
including the PKK and the People’s Protection Units (YPG), must lay down their arms and declare
their dissolution, according to Reuters.
This dialogue underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region, where the security of
the Kurdish population remains a pivotal issue for peace and stability in Syria. As international
diplomacy continues to navigate these turbulent waters, the focus on Kurdish safety and
disarmament remains a key point for future negotiations and peace processes.
