Turkiye and Syria prioritize security coordination in Ankara talks

Turkiye and Syria prioritize security coordination in Ankara talks
2025-10-12T18:03:37+00:00

Shafaq News – Ankara

Turkish and Syrian officials held high-level talks in Ankara on Sunday to strengthen joint security coordination and counterterrorism efforts.

The Syrian delegation included Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, and Intelligence Chief Hussein Salameh, along with their Turkish counterparts, according to Syria’s Foreign Ministry.

Abu Qasra described the meeting on X as a new milestone in strengthening cooperation between the Syrian and Turkish armies, contributing to greater security in the region.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in turn, confirmed that both sides reviewed concrete plans to ensure Syria’s stability while preserving its territorial integrity, emphasizing that “Syria’s security cannot be separated from Turkiye’s security.”

On October 11, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler noted that Turkiye would not permit any activity or territorial expansion by groups linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) or the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in neighboring countries. Inspecting Turkish army exercises in Ankara, Guler stated military operations would continue to counter what he described as the terrorist threat along Turkiye’s southern borders.

He called on the United States to reconsider its support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), insisting that “the time has come to dismantle the organization and end its activities in Syria.” Guler also warned that Turkiye would reject “any attempt to rebrand terrorist entities under new names or local structures” in northern Syria.

Read more: Turkiye’s cautious gamble: PKK disarmament and the regional chessboard

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